


Feeling Changes

by Beautiful_Infinity



Category: Transformers Generation One
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 22:29:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 25,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Beautiful_Infinity/pseuds/Beautiful_Infinity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fourth Arc in the Feeling Series. Arcs 1 and 3 are posted on Darkeyes17's profile. I have 2 and 4 here. What happens when you put Seekers and Sparklings in the same room? Or when Decepticons become Autobots? Optimus is about to find out... Sticky OP/S</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Feeling Drunk

**Author's Note:**

> Well, here we are folks! The fourth Arc in the Feeling Series rp'd between myself and the glorious Darkeye's17! XD Hope you're all up for it! This one is going to be fun X3
> 
> A few things, keep your eyes open for my Day by Day oneshot series for little adventures on our favorite Triplets! I got some cute ones coming!
> 
> Read, review, enjoy over and over! We certainly did.
> 
> Disclaimer: Not ours. Transformers belongs to Hasbro. We just like screwing with their heads.

Sauntering into Optimus Prime's office, Starscream made a noise of interest as he looked around. "I would have expected more organization of a Prime, but I guess we cannot all be perfect."

"If you don't mind Starscream, the days leading up to retrieval of Ratchet's triplets were very trying," replied Optimus, not letting the note of irritation enter his voice. Starscream's sneering expression disappeared instantly and remained neutral, taking a seat in front of the large desk. Optimus took his own seat, sighing in his exhaustion. Without his SIC and TIC, he was finding the work more onerous than usual. Leaning forward, he began to speak. "Level with me. If you are serious about remaining here, tell me all the truth you can. We are not in the place or positions for any games."

"Fine," the Seeker agreed, leaning back.

"Now...first of all, you do realize that if any treachery is committed, or if you have disclosed any sort of falsehood to me, I reserve the right to lock you and your Trine in the brig until we can ship you back to Cybertron. Clear?" asked the Autobot leader firmly.

"Crystal," Starscream drawled.

There was a pause in which Optimus gathered his thoughts and Starscream sat in eerie silence, refusing to say anything until the Autobot leader had spoken.

"Very well." Optimus sighed at last, sitting a little straighter and then casting a stern glare towards the Seeker. "I have the report that Mirage and Hound filed with me, but I must hear it from you. Why, exactly, did you and your Seekers aid the Autobots?"

Starscream snorted in irritation. This again? Really, once should have been enough. Or did he and his trinemates need to spell out every line of their code for these fools? That was entirely likely. Ignorant, boorish groundpounding dirt kissers.

"It's not that hard Prime." The former Decepticon Air Commander sneered, adjusting his wings so that they had more room over the chair arms. "Coding dictated we protect the immediate carrier and their sparklings. It was a Seeker's main function among others to reinforce the protection of the future of Cybertron. Your little council may have seen us as merely flying weapons, but I can assure you that our priorities were set benignly."

"Your assurance doesn't count for much, Starscream." Optimus sighed.

"Maybe," said the Seeker, "but would I be here now if I weren't confident on issuing that assurance? Please. Besides, my Trine and I were kept firmly in the dark about this matter. We didn't know about the sparklings until the day of the battle. Soundwave had no knowledge also. Megatron may be a fool, but he's got enough processor chips to realise that you don't tell Seeker's there are sparklings around that may be in danger. Our programming goes haywire."

"Hence...the gang attack on Shockwave when it was revealed that...that," Optimus murmured, but could not bring himself to say the last words aloud. Starscream did it for him.

"Revealed that the sparkless bastard killed the developing sparklet within your tacticians frame? Yes. Though," here a wicked smirk appeared on the dark faceplate, "I must admit that it was a VERY satisfying event for me personally."

The optics above the battle mask glowed with a strained humour. "I'm sure."

"Mmm. So. What rules regulations and all that will we have to follow?" asked Starscream.

"Don't kill, maim, injure or otherwise any Autobot unless in self-defence, although I hope it doesn't come to that. I will give you time to assimilate to our faction before giving you tasks. Let me know if your quarters are to your satisfaction-"

"Yeah yeah, I get it. Be a good mech, and don't piss off anyone. Fantastic, Prime. But if I may make one request?" interrupted Starscream.

"What?"

The smug smirk was back on the flier's face when he said, "One, let us fly at least once every two days. Two, we get to look after or care for any sparklings as well as any other mech. If they are in our vicinity, we will care for them. Our programming ensures it."

That earned him a raised brow ridge. "Oh?"

A flat look crossed the Seekers faceplates. "Believe me... We don't have much of a choice. It'll be the same for younglings although we get much more leeway with it."

"Then what about the-"

"The Aerialbots didn't register as younglings so long as they flew like adults." Starscream cut across him. "That may be an entirely different subject on the ground."

"I see."

"Are we done, Prime? Skywarp is informing me that Speedlight is currently running loose in the base without a guardian... Since you've sent both of his parents on a perimeter check and their carrier is stuck in his own medbay for awhile." His optics glinted dangerously.

"Uh, sure, go ahead." The Prime found himself doubfounded as he nodded, allowing the Seeker to get up and leave his office. Something told him that his existence was about to get very interesting with three Seekers around.

Prowl stared at the wall.

That's all he had really done since he had been released from the medbay.

But he didn't really see it. All he saw was a possible lifetime with his sparkling, rudely snatched away by his presence on the battlefield and the one who had done this to him. His spark ached, searching for the sparklet who had been lovingly feeding off his spark energy. Tears dripped in a continuous stream down his faceplates, tirelessly wipe away by his mate, who was spooning him from behind, giving him the wordless comfort he needed through their bond and through their pysical touch.

:: Oh babe, Ah know. Ah'll get 'im. Ah'll make 'im pay for hurting us,:: whispered Jazz over their bond.

::Was it me, Jazz? My fault...Maybe Primus's way of telling me I'm not ready to be a creator.::

::Don't think like that sweetspark. You are going to be a great creator with me Ah know it. It's not Primus, love. It was Shockwave for being such a sadistic piece of slag. No, Prowler. Never your fault::

::You told me not to go in the battle...::

:: Ah did. :: Jazz allowed. :: But if you'd stayed here, we may not 'ave Ratch and the triplets with us.::

It didn't ease Prowl in the slightest, the Praxian twisting so he could bury his faceplates in his mate's shoulder with a choked sob. Jazz held Prowl close, his arms tight about his bonded's shoulders and waist. He could feel the pain along their bond, the horrid emptiness of a broken creator/creation bond.

Slag Shockwave! Slag him and Megatron! Whenever he got his hands on the sparkless bastards, they were going to wish that they had thought twice before starting this fragging war!

:: It'll be okay, Prowler. :: Jazz murmured aloud and in their bond. "Ah promise. Everything's gonna be okay."

"GIVE ME BACK MY SPARKLING YOU GLITCHED SEEKER!"

Not being cowed by the medics obvious rage and brandished wrench, Skywarp cuddled a giggling Speedlight closer and whined, "But Ratchet, he's adorable! And we were having so much fun, right Screamer?"

"Oodles," replied the tricolor mech flatly, scowling as he cursed his programming. It was hard not to squeal excitedly at the sparkling like his trinemate was.

"See? I really don't mind looking after them while you and your bondmates are unavailable," Skywarp grinned, warping out of the way as the medic lunged for him.

Ratchet huffed, and although his processor cautioned him, in his spark he knew that the Seekeres would not allow any harm to come to his creations. Even Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had grudgingly conceded that fact. Glaring at Starscream, he said, "You all get to be used as target practice in the weapons range if you three do anything, and I mean ANYTHING to hurt them."

"Oh please. But if you insist," Starscream said, mentioning to his trinemates as Skywarp giggled happily, following after his leader and Thundercracker scooped up the remaining two sparklings and followed.

"I don't like it..." Sunstreaker grumbled after the three had disappeared and the medbay doors had shut behind them.

"Skyfire'll keep an eye on them." Ratchet sighed, leaning back into the crimson and black arms that had suddenly wound around his waist.

"Skyfire?"

"Yeah. Seems Skywarp encountered Fireflight in the rec room this morning..."

"And?" Sunstreaker grunted, wrapping his arms around their medic as well.

"Programming."

Sideswipe gave him an odd look. "The Aerials? Seriously? I thought they hated them..."

"Silverbolt and his gestalt are all still technically younglings, although they may have adult bodies. Their programming is just now recognizing, having had a wake up call thanks to OUR sparklings."

"Weird." Sunstreaker muttered. "Doesn't matter." One golden servo came to rest on the medic's windshield. "How're you feeling?"

"Honestly?"

"Would be nice," rumbled the golden twin softly, stroking the glass under his fingers, optics searching his mate's.

Looking uncertain, the medic sighed and replied, "My spark hurts every now and then. Almost like my spark energy is being drawn again, but not as bad. I can feel you both but...sometimes it's like the connection is fuzzy and-"

"Shhh," breathed Sideswipe, his hands joining his twins on their bondmates chest and stroking gently. "What can we do to help fix this?"

Leaning into the gentle touches, Ratchet replied, "Spark merging. Over time, with enough sparkmerging, my spark won't have any aftershocks. If I weren't bonded, it would be harder for my spark to get relief. Because I have you both, the recovery time might be halved, so if I have one merge per day every day, I'll be better in roughly a week."

The twins looked at each other, optics glinting with mischief. Sideswipe bent down and kissed the side of his medic's neck and whispered, "Well, the sparklings are away. I say we start filling that quota of yours."

"What, here?" protested Ratchet, but was cut off by a claiming kiss from Sunstreaker, who dipped his helm to capture his lips and mouth them gently, mouths parting immediately upon recognition. As hands slowly traversed his body, Ratchet could only moan into the kiss, becoming pliant under their worshipful hands.

"Missed you so much." Sideswipe hummed in his audio, lips trailing over his helm.

"Kept worrying." Sunstreaker added, his servos smoothing down Ratchet's abdomen.

The medic squirmed between them, even as they moved back until Ratchet's knees hit the edge of a medberth and he was pushed down, two frames engulfing his as their wild dance began.

"Do NOTput that in your mouth!" Starscream said sternly, tugging the tree branch from Jumpstart's curious hands, ignoring the sad whine to the best of his abilities as he turned back to Fireflight, his faceplates set in a stern frown as he eyed the young flier. "Just how did you get this stuck in your wing?"

"Uh, well... You see, um..." Poor Fireflight was growing very nervous, standing in the middle of the hangar bay where he, his brothers and Skyfire occupied. "That is to say..."

"It always happens." Skyfire said calmly from where he was sitting on the couch, reading a datapad with a sleeping Speedlight curled into his side. "Don't scare the poor youngling, Starscream." There was an amused smile on his faceplates.

'Oh you just had to mention the word 'youngling' didn't you Skyfire.'

With a scoff to hide his want to coddle the younger flier, Starscream said, "Well, at least you didn't get tangled up with one of your brothers and get stuck in mid air."

"Uhh...actually."

"No! I don't want to hear of it!" Barked the tricolor Seeker, gathering Jumpstart in his arms and making his way to the couch and sitting next to his once-friend, who smiled at him. He ignored the smile and focused on the sparkling in his arms. Jumpstart, he had found in the past ten minutes of looking after the sparklings, was the shyest and moodiest of all the triplets. Now he was curled up, sulking over not being able to have the tree branch. Reaching deep, deep into his subspace pocket, Starscream found a long unused sparkling toy and pulled it out, showing it to the little red and black sparkling.

Jumpstart's optics immediately went wide and he cooed happily at the toy. It was a soft, posable model of a Seeker. It was worn, but looked fun, so he looked up to the strange-but nice-but screechy-but protective mech, looking into those pretty red optics. They looked like the rubies Mirage had showed him.

"Pwease have toy?" he asked.

"At least you have manners. Of course," replied Starscream, not missing the smirk Skyfire shot his way. He gave the toy to the white chevroned mechling, who hugged it tightly to him.

And damn it if his spark didn't melt at the sight.

He also firmly ignored surprised yelp of a surprised youngling and the happy squeal of his purple and black trinemate. Skywarp certainly seemed taken with Fireflight and Silverbolt. Luckily, Silverbolt had been smart enough to go on patrol. Fireflight, not so much.

Thundercracker walked into view, an excited Brightspark bouncing in his arms. The young white femme was holding a drawing pad in one hand, a stylus in the other. And they were Thundercracker's if he wasn't mistaken.

"'Ook! 'Fire, 'ook!" The sparkling giggled happily, holding the pad out to Skyfire, leaning dangerously over the floor until Thundercracker steadied her with his free hand. "I drawed it!"

With a hum, the large flier replied, "Oh really? Let me have a look what our little artist has got for me here."

As he took the datapad, Starscream couldn't help but peek over at the drawing. For a sparkling of that age, Brightspark was actually quite talented. Instead of a datapad full of meaningless scribbles and a few blobs that counted as 'bodies', instead was a well drawn sparkling rendition of Thundercracker's frame, sitting, relaxed, and holding out a flower.

Oh dear Primus the little femme already had his trinemate hooked.

Skyfire smiled at Brightspark, laughing internally at the eager look on her face as she waited for his verdict. "Very nice. I think your father will say it's one of your best for sure."

The white triplet cooed loudly in joy, waking up her elder brother, who woke up sleepily, looking around and optics alighting on the fun that Skywarp and Fireflight were having. Ignoring his sister's drawing and the other mechs around, and faster than anyone could shutter an optic, Speedlight jumped off the couch. He landed with an 'oof' and ran to the two fliers, squealing happily. It looked like fun.

Skywarp saw him coming and crawled over to him, scooping him up and blowing vents over the mechlings yellow sides, tickling him. Speedlight giggled happily, as did Skywarp. Starscream sighed as Thundercracker said, "My mate is an absolute sparkling."

"Undoubtedly," agreed Skyfire, smiling broadly, giving the datapad back to Brightspark.

Fireflight took the moment to flee into his quarters, Skywarp firmly distracted with the sparkling. As cool as the Seekers could be, the young flier was thoroughly convinced that they were scarier as allies than as enemies.

Brightspark took the pad back with a happy chirr and then gestured to the blue Seeker that she wanted down. Once Thundercracker had set her in her pedes, she sat at the foot of the couch and began another picture, quietly humming to herself as she had seen her carrier do when he was working on healing her family.

Skyfire caught the look on both Starscream's and Thundercracker's faceplates. "Makes you think on what we were missing, doesn't it?" He asked quietly.

Thundercracker nodded, and Starscream turned his attention back to Jumpstart with an embarrassed 'humph'. Skyfire's laughter filled the hangar, the delighted squealing of one Seeker and one sparkling a pleasant background noise.

Optimus sat quietly in his office, reviewing the reports from days before and thinking desperately of ways to explain the Seeker's presence to the humans without it becoming a political debate and without demands for them to see the sparklings. While Optimus was kind by nature and programming default, there were many humans he quite frankly did not trust within a few hundred yards of the young Cybertronians.

A soft knock on his door alerted him.

"Come in please," he called.

To his surprise, it was Jazz who entered. His saboteur's visor shone dull, and he looked like he hadn't polished since the day of the battle. As he moved towards the guest chair, there was none of his usual style or pizazz that accompanied his movements. Waiting until the black and white was seated; Optimus asked gently, "What can I do for you Jazz?"

Jazz looked at him.

Optimus felt his spark twist. In that gaze there was everything laid out for him. Jazz's pain, Prowl's anguish, the pain of the hole in their sparks. As Prime, he could allow his EM field to help their sparks ease, thanks to the Matrix, but they had firmly denied him. It was because they needed to do this alone, pick up the pieces by themselves. and he could respect that. He vowed to step in only if they couldn't do it together.

"Ah'm sorry to do this to ya, Prime. But Ah gotta take Prowler away. Ah can't have him here. Not now. He's findin' it hard, and Ah am too. We need to take a week or so to have a holiday. Ah know with everythin' that's happened it's gonna be hard, but-"

"Go," encourage Optimus immediately.

Surprise flashed over Jazz's expression. "Ya sure? Ah was thinkin' Hawaii."

"I do. Ironhide and Red Alert can help. And something tells me that Starscream will be willing. So start packing if you need to. Unfortunately, I will be here thinking on how to diplomatically tell the humans that we have taken on three Seekeres, but go and relax. We can handle it, I assure you," Optimus replied. It was no lie. If this break could help his friends, he would give them a month to recover if need be.

He was sure Ratchet would agree with that at least.

The glow of the Third in Command's visor softened, no longer dull, but filled with a gratefulness and respect that mingled with the pain still there. "Ah thank ya, Prime."

Optimus stood and made his way to his friend's side, a large hand coming down to squeeze the saboteurs's shoulder. "There is no need to thank me, my friend. Take the time you need to heal. We will wait for you."

A small smile formed on Jazz's lips and he stood, reaching out with a hand. "See ya when I see ya, Optimus."

Optimus clasped the offered hand and shook it, squeezing reassuringly. "Happy travels, Jazz."

He watched as his friend left the office, a new feeling of hope about him. As soon as the door closed he sighed. With Primus' help, he knew that the two bondmates would find their peace.

He turned and then sighed again, only this time in agitation. There were still so many datapads to sort through...

"Might as well get started..."

Disentangling himself from his two rather amorous but now recharging bondmates, Ratchet cleaned himself up hurriedly and made his way out of the medbay. Already, his spark didn't ache. It felt good, and full, and full awareness of his bondeds and sparklings floated through him, reinvigorating his tired and tried spark. He wandered through the hallways, getting stopped by a mech here or there who were still overjoyed at getting him back.

Sometimes it amazed him just how much he had been missed.

Reaching the flier's hangar, he stopped for a moment. He realized how quiet it was.

Pushing open the door, he was met with one of the most spark melting sights he had seen in a while. Thundercracker and Skywarp were curled up with each other, both of them leaving enough space for the triplets who were recharging with the two Seekers. Starscream was looking at a datapad, murmuring something to Skyfire as they sat amiably on the Aerialbots couch. Seeing the medic, the tricolor Seeker stood.

"Your sparklings were finally worn out by a game of chase. They were rather good. You and your hellions have raised them well," he complimented sincerely.

"Why thank you," replied Ratchet, positively glowing with the compliment.

"If you don't mind, I need to see Prime," said Starscream, nodding at Ratchet and Skyfire before leaving.

Looking at the shuttle, Ratchet asked, "Were they really?"

"Yes. It was quite endearing as well as odd to see such a turnaround with the Seekers," answered the larger mech with a smile.

"Huh," muttered Ratchet. "Should have had sparklings a while ago then."

Skyfire chuckled quietly, offering the space beside him, which Ratchet took gladly. "It may have solved your problems, yes." The shuttle allowed. He turned slightly to watch as the door to Slingshot and Air Raid's room opened and Slingshot stuck his helm through, glanced around and then ducked back in. In no time, Air Raid and Fireflight followed him out and they crept around the sleeping Seekers and out of the hangar. Ratchet could have sworn he heard a whoop of joy somewhere down the hall. He turned to Skyfire for an explanation.

"Seekers." Was all he said.

"Ah."

Starscream walked stiffly through the halls of the Ark, his entire frame taut with tension as he passed mechs who were once (and possibly still) his enemies. He held no illusions as to how most of these mechs viewed him and it did him good to be prepared for a possible attack.

Nevertheless, the smug thought occurred to him that if HE was harmed, that Optimus would stand up for him.

He actually smirked, causing a passing Wheelie to look nervously at him and scurry away.

Getting to the office, he did nothing like press the door chime. No, he was not worthy of such an announcement. He was Starscream. He needed no announcement. He opened the door, finding Optimus sitting resolutely at his desk. He almost laughed, Megatron must have been really weak never to defeat Prime if all he did was push paperwork all day. He missed the exasperated expression on his new leader's face as he sat down.

"Can I help you Starscream?"

Starscream scowled, irked that the mech hadn't even bothered to look up at him. "Yes, you can. I'm not a glorified sparkling sitter, Prime."

Optimus did glance up at that, confusion and surprise covering what you could see of his faceplates. "I am sorry Starscream. It was not intended for you to feel as such..." The Seeker could hear the frown in his voice. It was strange knowing the frown was directed inward rather than at himself. "I merely thought that your codes -"

"They're nothing more than codes, Prime." The tricolor Seeker waved a sky blue servo dismissively. "Unlike my trine, I need something productive to do."

The red and blue mech was silent, thinking. And for a moment, Starscream's ire faltered, thinking that perhaps he went too far with his demanding presence. Just as he was going to say something else in his defence, Optimus offered, "If you like, you can help me with solving this problem of you coming to the Ark. The humans may be resentful."

"Just tell the little squishies that we've reformed," replied Starscream in a bored tone.

"They will ask why. And when I tell them it was because of the sparklings, they'll demand to see them, and I cannot put them in danger by some of the anti-alien extremists that ARE out there. You see my conundrum, Starscream? Intellectually stimulating enough for you?" Optimus explained, optics boring into the fliers.

Okay, now that was definitely an insult.

"Of course it is. One of the smart things you've done is not telling human government about the sparklings in the first place. That would have interfered in the necessary creator and carrier bonds between them all because they would have wanted to poke at them. Fools," said Starscream scathingly of the humans. Optimus looked at him reprovingly, but he went on. "Regardless if most are decent, as you said Prime, there are the occasional glitches in the system. Now...where do we start?"

Pulling out another datapad wearily, Optimus replied, "Well, these are a known list of anti-Cybertronian supporters. But there are many that are unknown..."

The Seeker snorted, swiping the datapad rudely and sitting down with the information. He scanned over its contents. Well, that was no surprise. There were a few he could contribute to the list but he already knew all of the ones Prime had listed on here.

"What about scientists?" He asked.

"They are all listed on the bottom, and before you start, I am well aware that their interest lies in merely dissecting us rather than being altogether anti-alien."

Starscream scowled, unsure of whether to feel insulted for Prime curbing his argument at the start or the fact that Prime seemed to know him well enough TO curb it. It was disturbing.

"Very well, tell them that we defected because Megatron is an idiot who was starving his troops. And we were tired of being on the loosing side." Starscream grinned. "It's simple enough that they can understand and vague enough that their questions are wholly predictable and can therefore be answered before they are asked."

Optimus was pleased. That was a suggestion that had merit. That way he could continue to protect the sparklings, not to mention protecting the narrow minded perceptions of humans about Cybertronian relationships. He nodded and asked quietly, "Would you mind helping me more? Prowl and Jazz have gone on vacation because of...personal reasons, and your help would be appreciated with all this." He gestured a large hand around to the datapads around him.

Starscream sneered at the work, but silently picked up one of the datapads and began to read, giving his new leader the wordless acknowledgement.

It was only because he was bored strutless, but he did the work anyway.

Optimus smiled behind his mask. Maybe Starscream would come around afterall.

Locking up his office, Optimus turned to the proud Seeker next to him and said, "You help was very appreciated today. Great work."

"It was paperwork. Any bot could do it," countered Starscream, although Optimus did not miss the way his wings twitched at the praise.

"Nevertheless…would you like to join me for some high-grade? As both a welcome and a thanks."

Starscream looked hard into those deep blue orbs of his Prime. He weighed his options. On the one hand, he could have some stimulating conversation and better quality high grade, or he could go to quarters with Skywarp and Thundercracker, who – as he felt through their bond – we fragging the night away like petro bunnies, sex drive increased thanks to the proximity of sparklings and their Seeker programming. Hmm, decisions, decisions.

"Fine. Don't expect me to be nice," he finally replied, sauntering down the corridor.

"My quarters are this way!" Optimus called after him.

Starscream cast a confused look at the Autobot CO. "Why your quarters?"

Optimus gestured with a dismissive hand, explaining. "We've taken to keeping our highgrade out of the rec room. Mechs tend to sneak in and get overcharged otherwise." A specific memory of Ironhide passed out drunk on a couch rose to mind. "And my quarters are quieter."

Starscream raised an optic ridge and then shrugged, turning and following the large Autobot.

When they reached the officer's quarters, Optimus mused thst it was odd not to hear Jazz's music as he passed their door. It sobered him even more and mad him yearn for his high grade. Starscream following, not caring if such a move would be wise, Optimus entered his quarters, immediately going straight for his stash in a desk drawer, gathering six cubes, three each. Seeing Starscream looking around, he grunted, "Make yourself comfortable."

The Seeker immediately sunk into one of the large couches in the living room of the quarters.

He actually found the room not to what he was expecting. He thought it would be lavish, more fit for a Prime, but it was nice, simple and yet tasteful. He found himself appreciating it. As the red and blue mech came back towards him, he said nonchalantly, "Not every day a Decepticon in your quarters."

"Ex-Con," Optimus corrected softly, handing out a cube.

Taking the high grade and taking a sip, the flier hummed appreciateively. "Better than the slag we used to have on the Nemesis."

Optimus raised an optic ridge but didn't comment.

He sat on the opposite end of the couch, a polite distance from his guest and groaned. Frag he was tired. Everything that had happened had worn even his famous calm to its breaking point and now that it was over he just wanted to drown himself and forget. With a sigh he released his mask and raised the cube to his lips, taking a deep gulp. It went down smoothly and left his glossa tingling pleasantly.

His attention was drawn back to Starscream when he heard an inquisitive 'hmmm' and saw the flier staring at him. He frowned. "What?"

Starscream smirked and then snickered. "So that's what the mysterious Prime's visage looks like. I must say that the rumors were very off."

"Rumors?" asked the Prime cautiously.

Lifting a shoulder vent in a shrug, the smirking jet replied, "Heard that you were hideous behind that mask of yours, which is why you wear it, but now I see it's not true at all. Every rumor had you marked in some way. I even heard one that you had no nasal ridge or olfactory receptors. You are actually quite a fine specimen."

Optimus laughed, saying, "Specimen? Everything is for science, isn't it Starscream?"

Scoffing, Starscream said, "Yes off course. You know what else I'd like to see scientifically?"

"What?"

"How many cubes of high-grade you can empty before you get tipsy. You look like you need to lose yourself. I might join you. The thought that Shockwave is still barely living sets my tank to rumble," mentioned Starscream in a non-caring sort of way, but the Prime saw that the fact that the opposed was still living did not sit well with his new companion.

Lifting his cube, he challenged, "I'll drink you under the table."

"Oh Prime, just give it a try. I'm a Seeker, remember?"

Finding himself teasing, Starscream filled with the thrill of a challenge.

"Mmm... Din't know a Prime was so good at drinkin' games..." Starscream giggled, swaying where he sat and clearly overcharged.

Prime wasn't much better off as he reached for another cube, determined to empty that one as well and prove to the Seeker that just because he was Prime didn't mean he didn't know how to have fun. It took a few tries until his seeking fingers finally closed around the cube and he lifted the glowing liquid to his lips, his hand surprisingly steady despite the difficulty he had found in just grabbing the cube. With a grin that belied his inebriated state, Optimus put the cube to his lips and ducked his head back, draining the cube in one go.

The excess energy rush had him seeing threes until he shook his helm to put his equilibrium chips pack into place. With a victorious smile, he squeezed the cube and broke the field.

Starscream snickered again and reached forward, having slightly more trouble trying to find a new cube then Optimus did. Until he spotted the dwindling pile Prime had revealed only a few hours before. He with an irritated huff, he reached over the Prime's lap to grab one, only for his equilibrium to spin and throw him face first into said lap.

Optimus, if he had been sober, would have been highly embarrassed and would have polietly helped the flier off his lap. Starscream, if he had been more sober, would have shrieked in indignation. But they neither mech was sober.

"Heeellloooooo...what're you doin' down there Ssscreamy?" the larger mech slurred drunkenly.

"Admirin' the pretty view Optimush...didn' know you could be ssssooo pretty and nice," murmured Starscream, muffled by the lap he was in. Optimus giggled, grabbing Starscream and hefting him up so that they were sitting side by side, Starscream finally able to grasp the next cube and lift it to his lips, half-drinking, half spilling the high-grade down his front, before throwing his cube off to the side and saying, "Your turnnnn."

The Seeker looked up into the handsome face as it pouted and giggled. "Optimush, your poutin'."

"I do not pout," Optimus said, seeming sober for a moment, before guffawing and saying, "Shtarrsscream, you got energon all of you. We gotta clean it."

Starscream hummed, looking down at his chassis with such a peculiar expression, seemingly caught between a 'How did that get there?' and the predictable Seeker vanity. It was amusing. Too bad Optimus was too drunk to even think of taking a photo captured. Besides, it wasn't very Prime-like to hold blackmail over someone's helm.

Starscream suddenly smirked, the look surprisingly sultry on gunmetal gray lips as he stared at the faintly glowing liquid painting his cockpit glass. Slowly, seductively, he ran a single blue digit through the mess and brought it up to his mouth. He glanced over to catch the wide opticked, gobsmacked look on Optimus Prime's face before he stuck the digit in his mouth and sucked it clean.

"Well..." Starscream purred, his voice low and oddly pleasant minus the scratchy screech he used from day to day life. "It IS your tuuurnnn..."

The last word came out in a sing song kind of tone.

Optimus caught on, and he made a low sound in his throat. "But my treat isn't in the right position."

Starscream tilted his head to the side in curiosity, optics glinting playfully. He swung his leg over the wide, strong pelvic span of the Prime - though not without giggling and accidentally knocking over another cube of high grade with a heel thruster - and straddled him, smirking drunkenly. "Is this the right position?"

"Yesh," Optimus chuckled, and leant forward to lap off the energon from the golden glassed cockpit, making the tricolor Seeker squirm.

"Tickles!" Starscream shrieked, grinning.

"I win then," rumbled the other mech. He pulled away, licking the last remaining energon from his lips, looking into the other mech's face. They were grinning stupidly at each other, the high-grade addled haze in their processors stripping both of them down to their baser needs. Pit if Optimus didn't feel aroused by a warm frame straddling his own, in such close proximity to him. "Your turn Shtarscream," he purred.

Starscream shivered, but still smirked. This was so fun! Getting a wicked idea, Starscream said, "Yesh it is...hmm, Oppy, you missshed a ssspot."

And with that said, he drunkenly tipped his head forward and placed his lips over the full ones of the Prime.

A startled grunt followed Starscream's kiss, the helm of the Prime threatening to back away in his surprise if not for Starscream's servo snaking it's way to the back of Prime's helm and pressing deeper into the kiss.

Once Optimus' CPU caught up to what was actually happening, he felt a surge in his systems and he surged forward, pulling the sleek flier more firmly against him. The heat already sheeting from their bodies consumed him, and he ignored the niggling little voice in the back of his processor that said he shouldn't be doing this, that he was too drunk to make a decision like this.

The rest of him shouted at the voice to shut up because this felt fragging good!

Starscream, on the other servo, seemed to have no qualms about what his intentions were. He purred into the lip lock as their glossas danced and their servos searched each other's frames heatedly, looking for any and all points that they could use to gain the upper hand. Currently, he was losing the battle to Prime, since his own erogenous areas were rather more pronounced. His wings, for example, where Prime was currently tracing his digits along the bare expanse where a Decepticon faction symbol had once been branded.

Pulling back, the winged mech purred, "Berth? Wanna party? High gradesss been drunk, we now have fun, yesh?"

Optimus hummed thoughtfully, ignoring the little voice in the back of his processor screaming at him to turn down that offer, and nodded, "Yesh, pretty mech. Let'ss ggooooo."

Both giggling, they stood, swaying with each movement as the larger mech guided the other to his berth, both flopping on it, still giggling.

Neither had a doubt in their mind about what they were going to do.


	2. Feeling Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two of OpxSs! Enjoy y'all! We had fun with this one. Lots of... crackiness and Aerialbot cuteness XD I love those guys. And let's not forget Skywarp's badassery!
> 
> Rping with Darkeyes is alot of fun! I'm gonna be sad when this series is over TT^TT
> 
> Disclaimer: We don't own nuttin' -_- but wouldn't it be great if we did?
> 
> Enjoy~

Starscream groaned, his CPU cycling too much data much to fast, resulting in the pounding CPU ache that was now encompassing his processors. How much did he drink last night? Frag that... WHY was he drinking last night? He groaned again, the effort to remember just making his pounding helm that much worse.

He shifted, against moving and yet finding the need to at least roll over and tell his trinemates to tell the Prime he wasn't sparkling sitting today.

"Ah!" A sharp ache that shot up his back strut had him rolling back onto his back with a soft hiss. Frag... Who had he berthed? Hopefully it wasn't some Autorunt... He wasn't sure just what he would do if he unshuttered his optics to find Cliffjumper in his berth...

But he didn't remember a party. In fact, yesterday had been pretty normal up until...

Oh PIT no!

Starscream's optics snapped on with a start, and he was grateful to find that the room was dark, nothing bright to aggravate the overworking sensors. Slowly, with a very keen sense that the world was about to come to a very jarring halt, he turned his helm... And came faceplate to faceplate with the surprisingly unmasked face of Optimus Prime.

He screamed.

Optimus remembered dreaming. Dreaming of a party, a resulting drinking contest with one very pretty flyer, taking said flyer to his berth and having one of the most amazing interfaces of his entire life...before he was rudely dragged from his dream by a horrified, piercing scream.

His optics came on, and he groaned as the shriek continued. His processor, already muddled from his hangover, cried out in the process, the abuse on his audials too much. "Shhh," he shushed harshly, only to fully recognize who was in his berth, screaming as if their life depended on it. He rebooted his groggy processor to see if this was really real, to find the form of Starscream in his berth.

It could only mean one thing.

His dream...had been completely and utterly real.

The Prime reached out, petting a shoulder and whispering, "Shush...my helm...my aching helm."

"YOUR HELM! What about my...my..."

Optimus looked down to where the tricolor Seeker was pointing and his faceplates heated as he saw the open panel, transfluid stains prominent and some still moist lubricant and transfluid on the edges. He looked down at his own groin area, and tucked his head in shyly as he realized where the dried lubricant had come from which coated his large spike.

Looking back into the panicked crimson optics of his once-enemy, Optimus tried to soothe him. "Calm down. We'll think this over and rationalize it. We were drunk after all." His admission that they had been drunk made him wince and his aching processor throb harder. It hurt, and would only get worse if Starscream continued to shriek. Unconsciously, he stroked over Starscream's upper arm and he closed his optics, trying to get in more recharge.

Starscream was having none of it. He sat up, gasping in slight astonishment at the ache in both processor (which was painful), and in his valve (which he was not going to admit felt kind of nice). Huffing, he pouted and said, "You got me drunk. You got us in this."

"I recall you being the one to kiss me," replied the Autobot sarcastically.

Starscream bristled and snarked, "You were the one who led us to the berth. You were te one to frag me."

"I dimly remember you crying out in pleasure as I entered you," Optimus said in exasperation, although he couldn't resist teasing. The flier was kind of cute when he was upset. Until he began to shriek again.

"Did not!" he protested.

Optimus winced, the screech painful so close to his sensitive audio sensors.

"Starscream, please..." He groaned, wondering how much more pain he was going to be in if he shut off his audios.

"Please! PLEASE!" How the frag could the Seeker shriek like that! That couldn't be healthy. "I - you - we- And all you can say is PLEASE!"

Giving up on the idea that he was going to get any more recharge, Optimus forced himself up and slumped against the wall on his berth. "Starscream... That sentence really didn't make any sense."

There was a long silence in which Optimus had a few moments to contemplate that being hungover REALLY loosened his glossa and he needed to think twice before he spoke like this. And then the real tantrum started.

"Ratchet, please, my processor is hurting enough as it is."

The CMO paused long enough in his laughter to look at his leader, who had his helm cradled in his servos and was sporting a large dent on the side of his helm. To his right a very angry, very POUTY Seeker was fuming in 'dignified silence' on his own berth.

And then he was laughing again.

And the dignified silence broke.

"I do not see what is so funny about this medic!" Starscream growled, glaring at him as if the intensity of his crimson gaze should be enough to burn him.

Ratchet took his time getting his mirth under control, but the slag eating grin plastered on his face wasn't disappearing anytime soon. He hardly EVER got to laugh at his leader. The Seeker was just a bonus. A very big bonus.

"To think that you two got drunk and...well, interface, is a very entertaining thought to me, and Primus knows that I need a good laugh every now and then," said Ratchet, grabbing a jar of salve and approaching the flightly looking Seeker, who's optics were bright with hidden embarrassment and all too obvious anger.

"What is thatfor?" he asked imperiously.

Ratchet rolled his optics, uncapping it and showing it to Starscream. "It's a salve for your valve if you still feel any aches or twinges. I know that Seeker valves are usually wired a little tighter than most mechs of your frame size and I know that Prime's 'asset' is sometimes more than enough for any mech to take. And interfacing drunk! If I wasn't so slagging gleeful at the thought, then I would be lecturing you both about safe interfacing. You know I've had to pull some odd things out of mech's valve because they'd interfaced drunk?"

Optimus snorted. "Like you haven't been drunk with your bondmates."

"True, but I haven't ever hurt myself or my lovers. My medical protocols are lucid enough for that," replied the medic, practically shoving the salve into Starscream's hand and pointing him towards a washrack.

Flicking his wings in slight annoyance at being ordered, Starscream took the jar and strutted to the washrack. It was only when the sound of running water was heard that Ratchet turned back to his leader and smirked, saying, "So...how was he?"

Optimus's faceplates heated in embarrassment as he admitted, "I remembered enough to know that he was so very good. So tight..."

He trailed off amist the uncharacteristic giggling of his CMO.

"Who would have thought? The Prime and the Ex-Con SIC a sexual match?" he grinned.

Optimus huffed and gave his medical officer a sulky glare, rubbing at the dent in his helm again. Optimus had honestly expected one of Starscream's tantrums to ensue alot of screeching and breaking audios. Apparently he would need to look into bolting down any movable object as well. It was a good thing that Ratchet threw harder and he was used to his CMO, or he might be having second thoughts about having such a volatile Seeker on base.

"I am afraid I agree with Starscream on this, Ratchet. I do not see the humor."

"Of course you don't. That's why it's hilarious instead of just funny." Ratchet snickered, moving forward to inspect the dent. "I never get to catch you in embarrassing situations like this."

Optimus continued to sulk as the CMO began to methodically undent his helm, an occasional snicker slipping from his control.

Starscream, meanwhile, had finished washing out the dried fluids in his valve and around his interface array before drying himself. He took the salve, scowling at it, and coated his fingers in it, propping on heel on the wall so he could reach in and apply it. As he did, he couldn't help but remember just a fraction of his drunken tumble from last night.

Lips, insistent on his as his wings trembled in his arousal, something hot and large stroking into and out of his valve, stretching him and filling him and...

"Stop. Don't even think it," the Seeker growled to himself, finishing with the salve and closing his panel, making himself look presentable. He wouldn't have that medic laughing at him.

Starscream sat in the hangar, his mood worse than this morning. Three human hours. Three. That was how long the medic had stood there laughing at him. Okay. Maybe that was an exaggeration. He had thrown some colorful jibes and taunts in there among the laughter, but really.

"Don't think about it." Thundercracker's voice floated to him from across the hangar, where his wingmates had herded the Aerialbots.

"Oh, come on!" That was Slingshot. "We've done this everyday since we've onlined! You can't be serious about keeping us from our patrols!"

Apparently the triplets had gone with their fathers on some sort of 'adventure'. And because the Twins WERE their creators, as much as all three Seekers hated it, they had no say about what they took their scraplets to do.

So the Aerialbot younglings had the brunt of his Trinemates attention today.

He didn't envy them.

"We've already spoken to Prowl about it." Skywarp sounded extremely cheerful for this early in the morning. "There's just too much risk and technically, you're too young. And we have say over your activities as your guardians now."

"But - you - wha - " Air Raid sounded positively outraged. "You can't do that! 'Bolt! Tell them they can't do that!"

"Prowl has already spoken to me about it..." Silverbolt sounded strained and distressed. "He said he would make this an order if he had to..."

Absolutely horrified silence ensued.

"Aw, come on. We aren't that bad! Besides, didn't you guys practically worship the ground we walk on? Want to be just like us?" asked Skywarp, looking around at the morose faces suddenly surrounding him. His cheerfulness died a bit and he pouted as well. "We're Seekers! When there's younglings around we can't help but cuddle them."

"Yes we can," Starscream called out in a snappy tone.

:-You know, someone would have thought you had been tied up and left in the brig all night, not romping around in the berth of the Prime by the way you're acting-: Thundercracker said over the trine bond.

Starscream didn't reply to that, and instead turned his attention to the Aerialbots. "You all would have been pathetic in Vos if you can't handle a few mature age Seekers want to care for you. Every Seeker would have thought you abnormal and weird. It was tradition because of our programming to care for any sparkling or youngling, even if they weren't our own. Why do you think Vos was one of the best cities for low crime rate in relation to younglings and sparklings?" he lectured them in a peevish tone, still disgruntled from that morning.

Fireflight perked up eagerly. "Vos really had a low crime rate?"

"Yes it did," said Thundercracker.

"Could you tell us more Starscream?" asked Silverbolt.

The tricolour jet's optics narrowed. He smirked and replied, "Only if I don't hear you all whine about you lack of patrol duty. We have the final word and it's final. Besides you need that time to brush up on your basic flying skills, which are severely lacking."

The five jetlings looked at each other, speaking over the gestalt bond before they all nodded, pushing past Skywarp and Thundercracker to sit cluctered around the couch where Starscream sat. Smirking in satisfaction at getting all their attention, the older jet began. "Vos did have one of the lowest crime rates. Not only because most fliers have similar Seeker protocol which drove them to protect the young, but we had a great sense of community. The leader of flier council were fair and just. Everything was peaceful. Until the day that Sentinel Prime decided that Seekers as flight models were too powerful and decreed that they be grounded for the rest of their lives."

"You mean...not allowed to fly?" asked Skydive, optics wide as their wings fluttered in sympathy. It was a madness for a Seeker not to fly.

Starscream nodded. "Yes. It was about that time that Megatron was coming into power as the leader of the rebels. One thing led to another. The Seeker council was attacked and killed, prompting us to ally with Megatron, who promised us half of Cybertron. And now...here we are, in a war that has spanned galaxies. Optimus Prime is a much better mech than Sentinel ever was."

::And you would know.:: Skywarp huffed along their bond. He was miffed that the younger fliers had just brushed him and his bondmate off for a history lesson. ::This is BOOOORING!::

Starscream merely alerted Skywarp on where he could shove his opinion.

"So, if Optimus is better than Sentinel was, why is there still a war?" Skydive inquired. "Surely it could have ended peacefully by now."

"Megatron's an idiot who can't tell his crankshaft from his interfacing units." Starscream hissed.

::Speaking of interfacing units...::

::DROP IT SKYWARP!::

::I want details later.::

There was the optic twitch again. IF there were not younglings present, then Starscream would leap over the back of the couch and strangle the black and purple bastard behind him.

"Let's not speak of interfacing in front of the younglings now!" Skywarp said loudly, snickering

"Why? We've all explored before." Air Raid said nonchalantly, as if this was the most known fact on the Ark.

"YOU HAVE!"

The resulting shriek from Starscream made all in the room clap their hands over their audials as they rang from the shrillness.

Skywarp was the first to recover, looking at his trineleader cheekily and saying, "so did Prime make you scream like that last night?"

Starscream snarled, reaching back and throwing the teleporter over his helm, who yelped as Starscream followed, straddling him to throw a punch at his face. "I said DROP IT!" Before he could go on to berate his misbehaving trinemate, the lead flier whipped his helm around as he heard Air Raid whisper to Slingshot, "You'd think he'd be a bit happier. Heard Prime is hung."

Starscream got off his grinning trinemate and stood, saying, "None of your concern. Now...you all interfaced, correct?"

Five nods. Starscream sighed. There had not been a flier gestalt in a long time, and the records were so old that there was hardly evidence for it. Although the Aerialbots had the bodies and processors of mature mechs, truthfully, their sparks were that of younglings. Add to that they were a gestalt, it practically screamed out for interfacing development to be rushed. He made it rationalized in his processor, before glaring at the gestalt mechs and tapping a foot.

"You were careful? None of you hurt each other?"

There was silence, no nods this time. Starscream's expression gentled and he sighed, "Did you at least go to your medic?"

"We went to First Aid. He told us what we were doing wrong," piped in Fireflight helpfully. "It was only our first time that we…well, Skydive and Slinger kinda got hurt a little, but we stopped when they started to push us away."

The crimson optics narrowed again and he rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, it'll be another part of your education we can help you improve in."

Fireflight looked interested, Skydive and Silverbolt embarrassed and Air Raid and Slingshot looked as if they were going to bolt.

Skywarp's grin practically split his face in half. "Oh yes. If you're so interested in history lessons, here's another one for you! Fliers, especially younglings, were often taught by elder Trines the rules of interfacing and how to properly use your equipment."

"Have any of you even been through your heat cycle yet?" Thundercracker cut in.

There was silence once more.

Starscream sighed. "We have a lot to go through."

Optimus sat in his office, helm in his hands, unable to work on the piles of paperwork he had in front of him. All he could think of were his memories of last night. He couldn't believe he had been so drunk! But he could remember how Starscream's guard had dropped, and the smiles he had shot his way were true and geniune. Those lips he had kissed had been so accepting, so passionate. The way their bodies moved, had fit.

'Listen to yourself! Acting like a youngling in love!' he scolded himself internally. He shook his helm. It had been nothing but sexual compatibility.

Yeah...that was the solution. The only reason they had been so good together was because, sex wise, they had been compatible. Nothing else. At all. Nothing else but a mutual attraction and surprising compatibility.

The Autobot leader shoved the feeling of how nice the Seeker had fit in his arms out of his processor and hunched forward over his desk to do more of his paperwork. However, the universe seemed bent and determined to make him not do any work.

Cliffjumper came in without knocking, demaning, "Prime, I get that these Seekers saved the triplets and all. I get it. But why the frag do they have to stay? Or come and make havoc in th rec-room with all those hissy Aerialbots?"

"The fliers are in the rec-room?" Optimus asked, curious.

"Yeah! And they're fragging annoying! They have their own hangar! Can't they leave the rest of us in peace!"

Optimus gave Cliffjumper a hard stare, unamused and unmoved with his plight. "The Aerialbots are every bit as Autobot as the rest of us, and the Seekers are willing to change their allegiance of their own will. they have every right to the same parts of the base as the rest of the troops." He said seriously.

Cliffjumper scowled, but didn't argue.

Still, Optimus's own curiosity was peaked and he stood. "However, if I find that the others in the rec room are disturbed and they are indeed disturbing the peace, I will speak to them."

Cliffjumper smirked, seeing it as a victory, and went ahead of the Prime on the way to the rec room.

Optimus couldn't help but be proud and exasperated with the little red minibot. He was tenatious, tough, loyal, but he was overly prejudiced and it looked like he would never be able to change his opinion where the Decepticons stood. He could only hope that the rumour of him and Starscream interfacing wouldn't make it around that Ark too quickly.

They reached the rec-room, and as Optimus entered, he couldn't help but smile beneath his battle mask at the scene.

It looked like the Aerialbots had simply decided to accept the Seeker twins coddling, and were all bunched on a couch together and leaning in some way on Skywarp and Thundercracker, The blue Seeker was dignified in his stance, but Skywarp as grinning and giggling occasionally, sprawled wide on the couch and in contact with each of the jetlings. Starscream was the only one not on the couch, perching on the arm of it as Fireflight held his wrist to make sure he didn't leave. It seemed like they were all riveted to the movie 'Top Gun.'

Starscream's upper lip was curled in a sneer, although he wisely chose not to critique the human's pathetic flying techniques. He felt optics on him, and turned his helm to look into the deep blue ones of the mech he had been with last night.

The Seeker couldn't help it. The moment his optics had met Optimus' across the room, he couldn't help but remember.

He was looking down, those deep blue pools of emotion staring back at him. He could lose himself. Especially when the helm attached was suddenly thrown back in ecstasy, a deep groan filling the room just a rush of hot transfluid released into the deepest reaches of his -

Starscream shut down the subroutine immediately, aware of how hot his plating had become. He glanced down at the young Fireflight still clinging to his wrist and who was still thankfully completely enthralled in the movie. Why was he feeling so embarrassed? He shouldn't be. There was nothing wrong with a drunken frag. A really good drunken frag, but a drunken one none the less. No shame in that.

And it wasn't as if he had ended up in Ironhide'sberth, Primus forbid.

He had managed to snag Optimus Primeof all mechs. Someone completely worthy of his attention. He couldn't do any better.

And it was only a drunken frag, Pit damn it all! So stop thinking about it!

Starscream found himself thanking Primus for blessing him with dark faceplates. At least nobody could see him blushing.

Why was Prime in here anyways?

" - are doing nothing wrong, Cliffjumper." Prime's vibrato drifted across the room, just barely heard over the loud explosions on the tv.

Oh. So the little red glitch had gone to complain about them.

Figured.

Skywarp had heard what the Prime had said, and he swivelled his helm around to look where Starscream was, at the Autobot leader, standing tall, Cliffjumper next to him with his arms crossed and a frown on his face.

Something within the teleporter snapped. He was here, paying a little attention to these jetlings with his trinemates and all the minibot could think of was what they had done in the past! They were Autobots? Didn't they have some code or something? As he thought it, before he could stop himself, his mouth opened and he called out across the room, "You know what Cliffjumper? I'm sick of your holier-than-thou attitude. Aren't you an Autobot? I thought you guys were all about equality and in valuing the lives of every mech or femme? Value ours, dammit. We're not causing any problems. You are. Now if you don't mind, the movies just getting good."

The resulting silence was so deep you could have heard a grain of salt drop.

And then, in a corner booth, someone began to clap.

Skywarp grinned when he realized it was the noble, Mirage, who had copped flak from the red mini as much as any Decepticon had.

Thundercracker and Starscream stared, dumbfounded at their trinemate. Starscream didn't even know that Skywarp could be so...eloquent. Thundercracker, meanwhile, thought the authority in his mate's voice was one of the hottest things. He'd have to ask him to use it in the berth.

And the peace shattered when Cliffjumper just couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"And I suppose I'm supposed to forget all of the lives you took, too!" The red minibot hissed. "Just forget that you destroyed city after city of innocents? There were only three survivors out of millions in Praxus! And the youth centers! Yeah! I can expect you'd want us to just overlook those too, you filthy 'Con!"

The occupants of the room, now in an even deeper silence, exchanged shocked looks, some glaring bitterly at the Seekers, others staring aghast at the minibot. Optimus Prime himself was looking horrified, mixed with his disappointment, down at his soldier. A dark cloud seemed to hang over the three fliers and Starscream stood, ready to tell the little fragger off, when Skywarp proved himself to be faster.

In a burst of violet light and verry pronounced 'vop' that seemed to echo in the room, the ebony and purple Seeker was looming over the minibot, his expression murderous.

"A filthy 'Con am I?" He said quietly, his tone dangerous. "And who was it that made us 'slaves' and 'worthless' before this war even started? Who was it that made us have to fragging fight for our energon and even the right to have our own city JUST BECAUSE WE WERE WARRIOR MODELS AND AIR FRAMES!" There was nothing quiet now, the Seeker's enraged voice filling the crevices of the room.

"DO ANY OF YOU EVER PAUSE TO THINK THAT AT ONE POINT YOU MAY HAVE HAD THE SEEKERS ON YOUR SIDE? DO ANY OF YOU EVEN REMEMBER WHAT THE DECEPTICON CREED IS THAT MANY DECEPTICONS STILL UPHOLD!" Skywarp shouted.

Prime was about to speak up in defense of his troops when he received a private com. It was Starscream.

:- Starscream, wha- -:

:-Let him get this out of his systems, Prime. It's been stewing for far too long. -:

Optimus shot a look at the former Air Commander to make sure that he hadn't lost it, but the look he received back, defiant and pained, had him holding his glossa.

"EQUALITY FOR ALL! DID ANY OF YOU KNOW THAT! JUST BECAUSE WE ENDED UP HAVING A LEADER THAT WENT SLIGHTLY INSANE DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT MANY STILL STRIVE TO HAVE THE RIGHTS THAT ALL OF YOU WERE ALLOWED!" Who knew Skywarp's voice could reach levels like that. "YOU TALK ABOUT PRAXUS AND IACON AND YOUTH CENTERS AND INNOCENTS! WELL NEWS FLASH! WE HAD TO FIGHT FOR OUR OWN YOUNG! FOR THE FRAGGING RIGHT TO HAVE OUR OWN YOUNG! AND WHEN WE DID, WE WERE PERFECTLY CONTENT TO KEEP TO OURSELVES! THE ENTIRE SEEKER POPULATION WOULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF THE ENTIRE FRAGGING WAR IF WE HAD BEEN LEFT TO OURSELVES AND MERELY BEEN GIVEN EQUALL RIGHTS! IT WAS ALL OF YOU THAT CALLED FOR VOS' DESTRUCTION! YOU SPEAK OF ALL THE INNOCENTS WE KILLED! WELL PRAXUS WAS NOTHINGCOMPARED TO EVERY WINGLET, SEEKERLING, CARRIER, CREATOR AND ALL THE INNOCENT FLIERS THAT WERE KILLED AND BRUTALIZED WHEN VOS FELL!"

By this time, off duty mechs had wandered to the door to see what was going on, many of them wearing gobsmacked expressions of disbelief and many others in and out of the room wearing ones of shame. But Skywarp wasn't done with them yet.

"AND WE WEREN'T ALLOWED IN THE ATTACK THAT DESTROYED YOUR YOUTH CENTERS! IN CASE NONE OF YOU HAVE NOTICED, SEEKERS HAVE DELETION SAFE PROGRAMMING THAT PREVENTS US FROM LAYING ANY HARM TO SPARKLINGS OR YOUNGLINGS! WE EVEN TRIED TO UPRISE AGAINST MEGATRON!"

"YOU COULD HAVE LEFT HIS SORRY TIN CAN IN THE DUST!" Cliffjumper shouted back.

"AND WHERE THE FRAG WERE WE SUPPOSED TO GO! THE AUTOBOTS!" Skywarp snarled. "YOU WOULD HAVE SHOT US DOWN THE FIRST SIGHTING YOU COULD GET! WE WEREN'T AND STILL AREN'T BEINGS TO YOU! ALL YOU EVER SEE IS A SPARKLESS KILLER, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET OVER YOUR SLAGGING SELVES TO REALIZE THAT EVERY DECEPTICON HAS A STORY OF HURT, PAIN AND LOSS TOO! WE'RE STILL MECHS UNDERNEATH THIS WAR, UNDERNEATH THIS ARMOR. FROM THE SAME GOD AS ALL OF YOU! YOU'RE NO BETTER THAN ANY OF US! AND ONLY ONE OF YOU HAS EVER SEEN THAT!"

There was no question as to who, many gazes flicking to and away from their Prime.

Now he swung around to stare at the spectators, addressing them as well, leaving an absolutely shocked Cliffjumper staring up at him. "Well now we're here. And we're here to stay." He shot a glance at the huddled fliers on the couch beside his wingmates, Thundercracker standing tall and threatening with his wings raised protectively in front of the younglings. Starscream had his hands curled into claws and his wings were raised high as well. "But we're not here for you."

With a sniff, he turned on his thruster heel, helping his wingmates gather the stunned younglings and herded them out the door without a glance back. On his way out, Starscream shot a look at Optimus Prime, a small smirk on his lips.

"Who ever knew he had it in him?"

And then he was out the door as well, leaving absolute quiet in their wake.

The twins strode into the medbay, their sparklings all chattering happily about their day and about seeing their 'papa', smiles on the own twins faces.

Ratchet came out of his office, expression brightening considerably when he aw his family. He clicked at his creations, and they cooed back, reaching out for him. Once he hugged and kissed them all, he paid attention to the gleeful faces of his bondmates, who were look inordinately pleased. His optics narrowed at them. "What's up?" he asked.

"Oh, we just watched Cliffjumper getting the nicest chewing out by Skywarp. I never knew the ditzy little teleporter could scream like Screamer. Man, you should have seen it. It was serious, but the look on Clifjumper's face was just priceless!" crowed Sideswipe.

"Really?" asked Ratchet. He had, of course, heard the yelling, but couldn't quite make out the words.

"He was quite eloquent. And you realise just how much oppression there has been on both factions when you hear the other side's story. Skywarp quite reminded me of what Sideswipe and I were like before the Autobots," said Sunstreaker quietly, his optics dark and thoughtful. The speech must have struck a stronger and more obvious chord than it had in Sideswipe.

Ratchet hummed soothingly as he took their creations into his office, pulling out the spare berth and sitting on it, letting the triplets cuddle onto him and cling to him. "It's what so many mechs forget. We all do. That's why my medical policy is that I fix any mech, Autobot or Decepticon. Although…" he went on, seeing the murderous looks on his lover's faces, "I might have to make an exception for Shockwave. He had no right to do what he did."

Sideswipe cuddled up on his mate's right, while Sunstreaker took his left. Thoughtfully, Sideswipe said, "Well, I suppose we could support them more. The Seekers. We might not have liked them, but Sunny and I have always had a bit of respect for them to have the ball bearings to get back in the sky even after we keep jet-judoing them. What do you reckon Sunny?"

The yellow twin leaned his helm against the medic's shoulder, looking down at his sparklings thoughtfully. "Well, they did protect our sparklings. Not only that, but they mean it. Their coding is real. With them as our allies perhaps the Ark will settle a bit."

They all thought on that, before Ratchet sniggered and said, "Prowl and Jazz will come back from their holiday to a totally different Ark."

"Yep. Oh hey, by the way baby, why were you feeling so smug this morning?" inquired the red twin, snuggling closer to mates and sparklings, who were now in recharge.

"Oh, that. Well," Ratchet felt a big grin cross his face, "I found out that our dear beloved leader took a big step to improving ex-enemy relations." At the confused looks on the twins faces, the medic snickered and continued, "Turns out Starscream helped him with some paperwork, invited him back to quarters for a drink, and they both ended up getting pit near stone-cold drunk. Somehow, I don't know, one thing led to another and they ended up interfacing. They woke up and couldn't believe it!"

By now Ratchet was chortling with the memories of this morning, his mates looking at him in shock.

"Prime…and…Starscream," ground out Sunstreaker.

"Dear Primus. I don't know whether to cheer on the big guy for getting some or being a bit weirded out," chimed in Sideswipe.

Giggling, Ratchet said, "Prime said it was amazing."

"TMI!" choked out Sunstreaker and Sideswipe in unison.

"We didn't need the visual babe." sideswipe groaned, tucking his helm into his lover's shoulder.

"And the bitlets don't need to be hearing it..." Sunstreaker agreed. "Besides, aren't you sworn to patient-doctor confidentiality?"

"Neither of them claimed." Ratchet shrugged. "Besides, Jazz already knew."

"Why am I not surprised?"

Large servos caressed his wings, running sensitive lines along their length and tearing a moan from his throat. The heat in his circuits was building, prompting him to capture those tempting full silver lips in a brutal kiss. One large servo relocated, stroking down to grope his aft, reaching for his dripping valve still wet from their previous coupling...

"I just gave the BEST speech of a lifecycle and shamed the entire ARK!" Skywarp's voice tore him out of his thoughts. "The least you could do is stop THINKING about it!"

Starscream growled at his trinemate, who was in the middle of Skydive and Air Raid, who were cuddling him and petting his wings. "I can't help it. My memory banks are still defragging from my hangover," snapped the tricolor jet.

Thundercracker, surrounded by the three remaining Aerialbots, sniggered. "Yeah, still defragging because you got so fragged."

The middle Seeker hid his heated faceplates, and turned back to Skywarp. "I'll say it again just to appease you. That was more inspiring, more amazing, and full of less bull slag than any of Megatron's speeches ever were. Are you happy now? Would you mind not interrupting my concentration? No matter how incredible that speech was, don't forget I am your trine leader."

"Oooh," mocked Skywarp with a grin, "wanting to concentrate on last night, eh?"

"Shut up!" snarled Starscream, chucking the datapad in his hand at the smirking Seeker's helm, growling when it missed, much to the amusement of Thundercracker and the Aerialbots.

Silverbolt asked, "Why is it so embarrassing? Some mechs on the Ark interface others while drunk and there's never this much embarrassment."

Starscream stubbornly crossed his arms and didn't answer it, prompting the blue Seeker to answer it for him. "Starscream's pride, really. It wouldn't have been so embarrassing if they weren't both drunk."

"SHUT IT!" screeched the trineleader, optics glowing fiercely with embarrassed anger. Thundercracker smirked and was about to reply when someone entered the hangar, his smile instantly falling off his face, his expression, like the rest of the fliers, becoming more respectful. Starscream slowly turned his helm, only feeling half-surprised that the form of Optimus Prime was in the doorway.

A wave of nervousness passed along the bond, coming from Skywarp. The flier was extremely aware that he had just blown up at a good majority of the best of the best of the Autobot Army. He was expecting punishment... Starscream was seriously wondering why. Prime was as goody-goody as they came.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." The deep vibrato of the Prime said, with a glance at the happily snoozing Fireflight, whose helm was lying in Thundercracker's lap. It would appear as if the Aerial's had all but adopted their resident Trine.

"Not at all, Prime." Starscream answered, adding forced nonchalance to his tone as he turned back to his wingmates. His processor was still focused on the defrag and having the subject on the images in his processors standing in the door was doing odd things to his sensors.

"Well, if that's the case...if I might have a word with you Starscream?" asked Optimus, gesturing over to the far corner of the hangar, indicating that this was a serious talk, but they wouldn't leave the hangar for the Seekers comfort. Starscream warily nodded his helm. Perhaps Prime was here to talk about Skywarp's outburst. It would be dissapointing if the mech they found to hold all equal turned out to punish them for having a say.

He followed the mech, gaze unintentionally roving over the back of him, then cursed himself for doing so. He should (ital) not (end) be perving on the mech who he was trying to put out of his processor.

Once they were out of eavesdropper distance from the rest of the fliers, Optimus turned, his optics weary as he looked into Starscream's fiery red ones. "I'm not punishing anyone, to start off with," he said quietly, sincere, prompting Starscream to raise an optics ridge. "I thought Skywarp's speech was very justified and goes to the core of what I've been trying to tell my troops for a long time. The Decepticons are our enemies, true, but we are all children of Primus, and I as Prime, know that most of all."

"So you have more than half a processor then," Starscream said, slightly snarky.

"I like to think I have a whole one, but that's beside the point," replied Optimus, "the point being that what your trinemate said brings me here. If there is anything within reason I can do for you three, let me know. I will not have the inequality in my ranks that we all have been striving not to have in our society."

Skywarp took the inopportune moment to call out, "Propositioning him again Prime?"

Optimus' optics narrowed at the teleporter, and to spite him, he called out, "Why yes I am, if you don't mind."

Starscream spluttered and said, "What?"

Optimus looked back towards the stunned faceplates and he half-smiled. "Well, that was the other reason for my visit. You see...I can't seem to get last night out of my processor. It's annoying me that I can't do my work. I was thinking of an...arrangement."

Starscream hissed, "Oh, I am NOT becoming some sort of sex slave to fuel your petty desires."

"Did you just hear what I said? I wish no harm. However, I will not deny an attraction towards you. I am blunt. Honest. It will be no different with you and your trine. Perhaps by mutually agreeing to further liaisons, we might show that there is a certain benefit to more mechs defecting and becoming factionless."

Starscream raised an optic ridge. "Benefits? Like fragging the Prime?"

If he hadn't been wearing that mask, Starscream was positive that Prime's faceplates would have been a lovely cherry red. It certainly took a few moments for him to get anything out of his vocalizer, though the bursts of static certainly said he had been trying.

"Th-that's not what I-"

Mercifully Starscream held up one hand to keep the Prime from going further. "I know that's not what you meant, Prime." He regarded the embarrassed faceplates (what he could see of them) and considered. "Take of your mask."

Optimus gave him a startled look, before ocean blue optics shot a look at the other mechs sitting on the couch pretending to not be watching. The he shifted his gaze back to Starscream before the mask snapped open with a soft click and Starscream was staring at the handsome faceplates from the night before.

Yep. Cherry red.

How cute.

"Now, say it again."

"Excuse me?"

"Give me the deal again."

Optimus gave him and odd look but complied. There were several moments of silence and then Starscream spoke softly.

"You're serious about this."

"I am."

A small smirk made its way onto gunmetal facepaltes. "Very well, Prime. I believe you have yourself a deal."


	3. Feeling Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, we were hoping to get this to you sooner, but I guess this was as soon as life wanted it out. Here it is. And boy do we enjoy taking these guys on emotional rollercoasters. Not our faults they're so fun to mess with XD One or two more chapters to this thing and the Jazz and Prowl get their turn!
> 
> Enjoy guys! And A Great Big High Five to Darkeyes17~~ You're wonderful sweety!
> 
> Disclaimer: Not ours. Otherwise do you think Ratchet would look so horrible in TFA?

"Harder."

"Do all our sessions have to be like this? Besides, you were the one who walked in here to jump me."

"Oh frag yeah...and wasn't that the agreement? We have certain tensions and go to the other to relieve them? And...nnn, oh Optimus, harder!"

Looking down at the pretty Seeker spread across his desk, Optimus lamented the fact that it wasn't a permanent addition. It was a wonderful break from the monotony of the everyday life to have his ex-enemy writhing under him in pure blissful abandon, those crimson optics bright with lust and hands clutching onto his shoulders in a desperate bid to drive him deeper.

It had been two and a half weeks since the beginning of their 'agreement.' Optimus would be an idiot for saying that it wasn't satisfying. Because it was in each way. They were very sexually compatible, Starscream adding his own inventive flair and kink into their sessions together, he himself having the opportunity to tease the usually impatient flier senseless. And, naturally, they would end up bickering occasionally, thanks to Starscream's seeming need for snark. Like now.

"Damnit Prime, if you don't drill me into this desk and make me overload in the next five minutes, I'm not letting you take me in the valve again!" Starscream demanded in a hiss, tugging insistently on his lover's arms.

"That wouldn't be so bad you know. You are just as talented with your spike," purred the Autobot leader, grinding into the wet valve surrounding him, relishing in its tightness.

He felt like a younger mech. He hadn't had this much interfacing since the first few days of discovering his interface components. Not to mention Starscream enjoyed relieving their 'tensions' at least once a day, sometimes twice if he could manage it. Knowing that Starscream would make good on his threat, Optimus pulled back, pulling a frustrated keen from those charcoal lips, and slammed back in again, beginning a rapid pace, spike thrusting hard, straight, and true, down into the depths of that steamy grip

A choked cry caught itself in the seeker's throat, even as the deep vocals of the Prime groaned in his audio.

Oh Primus this was just what he'd needed! Frag!

"Ungh! Optimus..." He breathed, hips arching up as his helm fell back in bliss, not caring about the sharp crack of a datapad breaking underneath the force.

"That's my name." The insufferable answer hummed in amusement against his neck now, Optimus having settled his face into the crook.

"F-fragger!"

His next answer was a particularly deep thrust and grind that had his sensors singing.

"Careful what you call me Starscream," reminded Optimus as he teasingly stopped, half in the soaked channel.

"Please!" shrieked the flier, constricting his valve tight, making the muscle cables ripple in an undeniable invitation, a plea of want.

Optimus moaned, resuming his pace. He knew it wouldn't be too much longer now, with his systems running almost too hot, his spike almost too hard and juddering with each thrust, sensors tingling and buzzing everywhere on his frame. Starscream was in no better position, those smooth white and blue legs wrapped tightly around his midsection and wings rattling against his desk. Those finely crafted charcoal faceplates were morphed in desire, and that normally screechy voice was a little lower and pleasantly calling out his name in an ego-stroking litany.

The flared head of his spike continued to push into the wetness of the valve and he whispered, "Overload."

"That's not a magic word," Protested the jet half heartedly, but jerked up into those onderful thrusts, now clasping at his lovers neck to direct their mouths together in a passion-fuelled kiss.

Optimus moaned into the kiss, his entire frame going rigid at the same moment that Starscream tore his mouth away and his valve clamped down on the thick invader.

Overload cascaded over them, a wash of transfluid flooding Starscream's valve, adding to the sticky mess now decorating the Prime's desk. As the overload tapered off, Optimus barely caught himself from collapsing atop the lithe flier, instead pulling out gently and gritting his denta with a hiss as the last waves of pleasure echoed from his spent spike and he flopped into his chair.

"We have got to stop doing this in my office." He groaned.

"Mmmhm." The satisfied and distracted response amused him.

"You are one of the most unrepentant beings I've ever met," the Matrix-bearer sighed, although the Seeker could tell the faint tone of exasperation.

"Mmm, too true. And to be honest Prime...at this point in time I don't care," retorted Starscream, stretching out over the desk in a languid fashion before sitting up, the movement forcing some transfluid and lubricant to trickle out of his valve and further decorate the desk. He felt his lover's optics on it and rippled his valve once more, more fluid trickling out. "Nice and warm," he purred teasingly.

"You just want to go for another round," stated Optimus with a knowing tone.

"I have to go teach those clingy little jetlings how to fly. It's going to tax my patience and my processors. This is how I relax Prime. And don't forget, it's either this or playing volleyball with the minibots with those hellion Twins as the opposing team with their triplets cheering them on," Starscream replied with a distinctly smug air. Optimus couldn't help but chuckle.

"Well, I can't complain. As unorthodox as interfacing in my office is, I can't say that I regret it."

"Oh please Prime, like you mean to tell me you haven't heard your SIC and TIC interfacing each other's processors out in the office next door?" Quipped the tricoloured mech, smirking.

Optimus couldn't hide a wince.

"It's part of the reason why their offices are soundproofed," The larger mech admitted with a sheepish grin. Starscream leaned over and looped his arms around the strong neck in order to kiss that grin right off.

Detatching, wings fluttering, Starscream murmured, "Tonight? I have a feeling I'm going to need some serious need of this 'ex-enemies with benefits' situation we have going."

The semi chuckled again and he answered, "Sure thing. Just...promise me you won't make one of the Aerials cry by yelling at them. They, and the triplets, have come to idolize you."

"Pfft. Anyway, I have to clean up. I'll see you later for debriefing Prime."

Optimus watched the seeker strut from his office and sighed when he looked at his desk. Always left the mess for him to clean up. Not that he expected any different.

He shook his helm and let his mask snap closed again before setting about to the task of making himself (and his desk and floor) presentable to the public optic once more.

"But whyyyy!" Air Raid whined, not moving from his sprawled position on the couch in the main hangar.

"Why what?" Skywarp singsonged, completely unaware of Air Raid's distress. "Why do we need to run drills?"

"YES!"

"Because you need the practice." Thundercracker answered for his mate as he walked passed them with a reluctant Fireflight and Slingshot trailing behind him. Skydive looked absolutely giddy, having the chance to show off the many tactical plans he'd invented in his cortex to the very mechs he'd created them to counter in the first place. Not to mention his brothers might actually have to be serious about this. Silverbolt was in a staff meeting with Starscream and would be along shortly.

"We do not," Pouted Slingshot, crossing his arm petulantly.

"The day that you can out-fly us is the day you can stop doing drills. Which will be never," the black and purple Seeker chirped merrily from where he was playing the xbox installed in the Aerialbots hangar. It was one of the most awesome ways to pass the time.

"You don't know that," shot the smallest Aerialbot back.

"Hush," reprimanded a familiar voice from the doorway, all mechs turning to look as Starscream entered, looking oddly relaxed and at ease, with a fidgety Silverbolt at his side.

"Oooh, I know that look. Somebody got some this morning!" Skywarp crowed in almost manic glee, bouncing in his spot.

Starscream couldn't even feel it in him to scowl at the blatant innuendo and said, "We have our first basic formations all prepared. But first, some ground rules. One is...no complaining whatsoever. Rationalizing your actions in a strategical manner, yes. Whining about how a decision or move wasn't fair or was too hard to pull off will result in punishment. Other is, follow orders. We've been doing this for longer than you have."

"But we've got a gestalt mind. Can this compare to a trine bond?" Skydive, ever the lovable nerd, asked.

The tricolor jet looked Skydive over as if to question the sincerity, before he replied, "We don't know. It may be stronger, equal to, or weaker than a trine bond, but it should not matter. Follow our tutelage, and we might reward you."

"I hope it's not the reward he gives to Prime," Air Raid mumbled under his breath, but Starscream caught it, his optics narrowing.

Skywarp and Thundercracker darted quick, alarmed glances to each other. "Aaaand...good feelings gone," Skywarp predicted as he watched his more volatile trinemate stalk across the hangar and loom threateningly over the now cowering Air Raid.

"You would be so lucky," Starscream finally said after minutes of a silence filled with glares for the youngling.

Of course, with that kicked-turbo puppy look on the younger flier's face, his glare was threatening to fade and he felt the need to cuddle.

He turned away, fighting with schooling his own expression into one of strict discipline. Which he found doubly difficult with the way the other Aerials seemed to fidget nervously as if to move closer to their brother. His optic twitched.

Fragging younglings.

"File out." He said with a sigh, ignoring the way Skywarp was grinning at him indulgently even as he shut off the gaming console.

The young jets made a break for the door, now determined to reach the training fields and leave the awkward situation far behind them. Skywarp snickered, following with Starscream and Thundercracker close behind.

Optimus Prime was relaxing on his berth, a cube of high grade in his hand as he read a fiction datapad in quiet contentment. It had been a productive day, even after Starscream coming in and surprising him with an interface on his desk, no less.

'He has mellowed considerably ever since we began our agreement. I've never seen him smile so much. And it's not an evil smile. It's a genuine one. It's rather fetching on him,' The red and blue mech thought, taking another sip of his high grade with a contented sigh. He then frowned to himself and rationalized, 'But that's only because we've been interfacing. Nothing else of course. And of course it looks fetching. Anything that's not a scowl looks good on anybody.'

Going back to his datapad, Prime shifted down onto his berth even more, ready to indulge in a nice, peaceful-

"It was a simple fragging training maneuver! All they had to do is a double loop combo and then accelerate while climbing! But NOOOOOO, they have to fly into a cliff, into a tree, and drop out of the sky! Stupid little hissy jetlings!"

Well, there went his peaceful night.

Looking with exasperated optics at the Seeker now marching angrily into his room, Optimus could only sigh again.

"Hello, Starscream." He said, trying to calm the situation before the seeker had a chance to go into a full blown rant. He counted himself lucky that the ex-Decepticon hadn't worked his way up there already.

"Don't hello me, Prime." The Seeker growled, stomping his way to the berth and getting in the Prime's faceplates. "Where do you keep the highgrade?"

Optimus felt his processor stall for a moment. He blinked slowly. "Excuse me?"

Starscream gave him a look that seemed to say 'are you stupid?' before he straightened up and crossed his arms across his cockpit. "Don't make me repeat myself."

The semi sat up, a frown forming on his face. "Surely your day wasn't that bad, Starscream."

"Oh, you don't know bad, Prime. I'm almost afraid to imagine just how you were able to keep us at bay with such... arrrrgh!" the Seeker through his hands up in frustration.

"The Aerialbots worked just as hard as everybody else." Optimus said soothingly. "And they have had to adapt to an army mostly full of non-fliers and civilians. They have done the best they could given their situation. You can hardly hold them to your level, Starscream. And even you will agree that they are still younglings and have much growing to do."

Another wordless noise of frustration left Starscream's throat. "Why! Why do all of you have to keep using that word!"

"Growing?"

Starscream wheeled on him. "Younglings! I KNOW they're fragging younglings! Do you know what it's like to have to fight against your own programming every time you hear the word or look at them! That can't be their excuse all the time, Optimus!"

The semi held out his arms in a resigned fashion and murmured, "It's because that's all they have, Starscream. We forget what it is to be that young...that impulsive and reckless, to have that air of innocence and inherent mischief."

Stamping his pede on the floor petulantly, Starscream grumbled, "Which war is slowly wearing down."

And that warm feeling in his spark was lust. Yes, definitely lust. It could not, in any way, shape, or form, be any iota of care for the mech in front of him on the berth, who had taken he and his trine in, been a pleasurable sparring partner, both verbally and in the berth, and had such a large spark to care for all...

Right. It was lust.

"Calm down. How are they? I'm sure you gave them a tirade to match Ratchet's," Optimus said quietly.

"Well...I think they've remembered how un-cute and un-cuddly I used to be...still am. Although it may not be as spectacular as Skywarp's that day in the rec-room. Thank Primus your little team has seen the light," The jet admitted, sitting daintily on the edge of the berth in a slightly uncertain manner.

The Prime chuckled and replied, "After seeing you play 'catch the Seeker' with the triplets, I think you won them all over...right before you screeched at all those who were watching that it didn't change anything."

"It doesn't," muttered Starscream, still defensive.

Canting his helm to the side with a slightly fond - no, not fond, calculating- look at the Seeker, Optimus said, "You're not here just to vent are you? Not your style."

"How very astute of you Prime," Sneered the tricolor jet, although there was no true malice.

And before the Prime could fire off a witty comeback, he found himself shoved back as hungry lips closed over his own. He accepted the passionate and feral lip lock, his servos coming up to stroke the jet's wings, only to be swatted away with a warning growl.

So they were playing like that tonight, huh?

Optimus chuckled, obligingly placing his servos back on the berth and receiving a pleased purr in response. Starscream's servos each patted the back of the darker blue ones before the long, slender digits trailed up to his elbow joints to play there, the sleek and powerful legs shifting so that he was lying between the semi's willingly spread thighs. Optimus groaned.

"The great Prime...spreading his legs for the ex-Con without a cause. Image if your whole army saw you submitting to me, letting me pleasure you in a way that only I can," the Seeker murmured seductively, fingers hungrily traveling the strong red, blue, and grey plating, hooking into wires and rubbing them, sensor nodes found and used to his greatest advantage.

"Mmm...You know, this isn't truly a submission. I am letting you do this," the semi protested half heartedly.

"Yeah, sure," Starscream snickered, lowering his mouth to the tops of the windshield, biting at the sensitive plating, glossa worming it's way in any gap or seam.

Optimus groaned again. Who wouldn't when a hot, horny Seeker was atop you, hands and mouth seemingly everywhere.

The flier moved down to the abdomen now, lavishing attention on the grill of the altmode, glossa peeping into the gaps and tasting delicate circuitry, prompting a set of rather delicious curses from the larger mech. With a sly grin, he looked up, about to say something witty, but was suddenly enraptured by the open, needy expression of the other mech. "So sexy...you could bring any mech - or femme - to their knees with a flash of that smile."

The larger mech's faceplates heated up in embarrassment, not much used to the compliments. He didn't interface with any of his subordinates after all and most of them looked to him as a father figure. Hearing such sinful words from such beautiful lips was doing something to his spark he'd rather not think about at the moment.

"Flatterer." He tried to say flatly, but it came out sounding more like a gasp.

The talented mouth had returned to its task, also succeeding in hiding the smug smirk on the Seeker's dark faceplates. "Perhaps." He snickered for a moment, dragging his digits down the semi's side, and snaking them into a rather sensitive seam.

"And a tease!" Optimus cried out as data flooded his processor for a moment, ridding his ability to think of anything coherent for the moment.

"Fuck," whispered Starscream, the sinful human curse sounding like a promise of pleasure from those full charcoal lips. His lover's optics had whitened out, and that was only from touching a seam! Last time he had touched the Autobot leader there, there was sensitivity, but nothing that powerful. "Poor mech. Probably doesn't have a lot of mechs to help him out...that's why you have me here." He continued to trace his fingers down that seam, relishing in the writhing of the body underneath him. With another smug grin, he purred, "You know, if you weren't such a good dock worker before the work, you would have been great at one of those high-profile pleasure bots. So yummy."

"Starscream!" Optimus gasped hoarsely. This was unreal. Fingers hadn't been able to get in that seam for ages. Not since his and Elita's mutual courtship.

"I'm surprised you don't have your panel open, really," Commented the smug Seeker, brilliant crimson optics gleaming in desire.

As if in answer to the words, and a symbol to the great Autobot leader's restraint finally wearing down, the very panel in discussion snapped open with a sharp click. Crimson optics blazed, trailing down to rest in between those powerful thighs, delighting in the bared valve and straining spike housing.

"Delicious." Was the aroused growl and the Prime shifted in embarrassment. Which made it somehow hotter. A wicked little grin played on the seeker's face. "Wonder if it tastes as delicious as it looks..."

Optimus hissed, servos finally being disobedient as they sprang up to clutch at the shoulder vents framing Starscream's helm in reaction to the two slender digits circling softly just on the rim of his valve.

"TEASE!" He repeated through gritted denta.

"You like it," chuckled Starscream, enjoying the feeling of such a little used valve around the tips of his fingers as he slowly delved them in between the slickening folds. He found his bad, negative mood dissipating completely in the face of the up and coming pleasures. He unconsciously licked his lips as Optimus emitted a low moan and felt the fingers clutching onto his shoulder vents tighten in expectation.

The valve clenched down hard upon the pleasurable intruder as they slowly slid in all the way, engulfed in the flexible lining. Starscream had only spiked Optimus a few times before - he was getting to be rather fond of that thick spike of the Prime's - but knew that it was tight each time. Exquisite. What every mech dreamed for.

"Nngh," the larger mech chocked out in between gritted denta, "Move your fingers."

"What's the magic word?" Singsonged Starscream on an impulse of mischief, not moving, merely watching that unmasked face heat in pleasure.

"PLEASE!" Optimus all but bellowed, bucking his hips up demanding.

"Oh, now I'm in for it," the Seeker murmured, curling his fingers in obedience of that need, his finger pads sraping delightfully long the inner walls and rubbing over sensor buds embedded in the lining.

"Umm…ohh…fraggit all the way to Vector Sigma," panted Optimus as more pleasure was given to him. Who knew that Starscream could be so teasing in his domination.

He should have persuaded the Seekers to his side a long time ago.

Starscream was feasting upon the open wantonness of the powerful mech spread beneath him, his spike straining against its housing.

He was more eager than he felt he should be. No mech should be able to control his need like this. Especially not one who was not even aware of it! his digits stilled again, dragging a hot, desperate (ital)needy(end) whine from the Prime's lips. The fingers tightened again on his vents and he forcibly repressed the shiver that wanted to travel all the way to the tip of his pedes and back up.

"So beautiful like this." He growled, sliding his way up the large frame, sensitized plating brushing together in a sensuous temptation. "So hot and needy. All for me. Bet you can't wait for me to pound you, Prime. For my spike to sink into your tight little channel, fill you up like nobot else could. Can't wait to feel you either. Always such a nice fit... so hot, so horny... who knew the great Optimus Prime could dance under the digits of a former enemy."

"Uh...guh...I-" moaned the Matrix bearer in his state of desire.

"Swear, Prime. Curse the word I know you so want to," whispered Starscream, face hovering above the handsome faceplates so Optimus could see him clearly. When the blue and red mech had gotten some semblance of control back, Starscream smiled, bringing his slicked fingers to his lips and shamelessly lapping up the valve juices, optics riveted on Optimus' as he cleaned his hand of the unique tasting fluid.

"Oh...fuck," swore Optimus, hands clenching onto the berth in his heady need. Never had he seen such a wonderfully wicked sight.

"Yes," hissed the Seeker, bringing his lips down and practically crushing the other mech's with his own, glossa tangling passionately once more, sharing the taste of the Prime, even as there was a tell-tale click and the jet's panel open, his spike ready and charged, rubbing against Optimus's abdomen in an erotic friction.

Starscream hissed again as his spike stabbed into the cool air, sensation switching to hot again when it made contact with his lover's body. This was why he agreed to this 'agreement'. They were both so fragging hot together they'd melt the thickest block of ice on Earth. Optimus seemed to always exude a raw sexuality, that if unleashed, would be the basest, tastiest form of instinct available. The thought made the usually bossy Seeker purr.

"I want-"

"Hush…not want… need," corrected Starscream, nibbling delicately on a choice neck cable.

"And how do you know what I need, Seeker?" challenged the Prime in his deep, rumbling voice. It never failed to send shivers down Starscream's backstrut when he was running hot.

He chuckled, shifting as he looked right back into those deep blue orbs. "I know you need this. Your body begs for it."

Optimus gasped as the head of the other's spike pressed to his entrance, teasing for a moment before the Seeker's hips rolled and the rest of that hard length slid smoothly in and filled him, lubricant making the move slick and pulling a moan from his vocalizer. Starscream hissed in pleasure, the moan a reward for him. After all, not many had ever been able to see the great Optimus Prime lost in the hold of liquidated pleasure. There was a greed in him. He wanted this, and no one else was allowed to indulge.

"Starscream..." And that. Nobody was allowed to hear their name said with THAT tone of voice.

It made him groan, drawing back out slowly, his hips trembling with the effort to not just pound. He was under no illusion that he could seriously harm the Prime. The mech was much larger than him and far sturdier. Well, sturdier for a groundpounder that was.

The seeker vented a sharp puff of hot air from his vents, sliding forward again. It was a fight with his own body, his own wants, to not just pound away at the slick, tight, wonderfulheat that was engulfing his length. He hadn't had this kind of pleasure in so long. And now, here, with the PRIME... Somebody who honestly cared if he enjoyed himself.

"Ungh! Not gonna - AH! - break, Starscream!" Optimus grunted on the next slow withdrawal.

Starscream snickered. "Really. You sure, Prime." His thrust back in was barely controlled, his optics fixated on the wildly flickering ones of the semi.

"Frag it! Starscream, you can go faster!"

A mischievous little smirk flitted across the dark metal of the Seeker's faceplates. "Beg."

Optimus couldn't help but glare at the audacity, but when that spike rubbed against his nodes deep within in that maddening, teasing way, he found he honestly couldn't care. "Starscream...please, go faster. Please!"

"Say it again. Scream it," purred the flier, tone going low and dripping with liquid sin.

Moaning, Optimus wailed, "PLEASE!"

Making a soft hum of pleasure, Starscream said, "Well, since you asked every so nicely..." He steadied his grip on the strong blue hips, gaining the correct leverage, withdrawing slowly once more, before jerking his hips forward, returning to the welcoming heat, putting as much strength as he could behind the movement. The flier was gratified by the odd sounding mewl pouring like a sweet song from his lover's mouth.

Optimus spread his legs wider, feeling the stretch. He may like being the spiker, but it was oh so good to be spiked properly like this. His arms flew up, once more clinging to the Seeker's shoulder vents as Starscream began to hammer away, a fast, almost brutal pace if it were not for the slickness of his valve and his all too willing body. Looking down into the face, unmasked and so open, the jet smirked around his pants as he saw the semi's optics flicker wildly once more.

"Oooh, you like that spot, don't you?" teased Starscream.

"NNnnghhh." He was in no real condition to formulate a reply. How could he with fire racing in his circuits and pleasure data flooding his mind?

Starscream, not at all bothered by the lack of answer, shifted just slightly so that his spike was hitting the spot on every thrust.

He was sure if the Prime were an Earth animal he would be some sort of cat with the way his spinal struts suddenly arched off the berth. It more or less surprised the seeker when the bigger mech suddenly yanked him down into a heated kiss, covering the low groan. The clamp of the already tight valve rippled, indicating that Prime was close. Starscream was too for that matter and thought the thought of slowing down just to drag this glorious torture out longer crossed his processor, it was quickly pushed aside.

He wasn't sure he had enough willpower to stop the pace he had set.

Servos were everywhere, on wings, windshield, cockpit, antenna... It was just all one blur of good.

And then Starscream was stiffening as overwhelming ecstasy exploded across his sensor net. Distantly, he noted that he was crying out. More like screaming. Prime's massive arms were wrapped tightly around him, holding him against the red chestplates as the waves of release rolled through them.

"Starscream," whispered Optimus as their overload tapered out, both of them cresting and riding the rest of the high, bodies trembling, vents whirring, panting out their efforts. Their lower regions were fluid slicked and twinges of pleasure still coursed through their circuits. The Autobot leader shifted so that Starscream's helm was resting on his shoulders and he could reach out to stroke those twitching wings.

"Shut up Prime...you're ruining my afterglow," The Seeker grumbled good-naturedly. He curled into the warmth of the other body, his whole frame thrumming with the contentment of a good overload.

Optimus chuckled, relaxing back into his berth. He didn't like to admit it, but cuddling with his ex-enemy was oddly comforting. It was nice.

After a while, Starscream finally rose up, pulling himself free of the still tight valve, his spike covered in their combined fluids. The larger mech hissed, sensors tweaking as the length was removed from it's snug and comfortable position. Stretching, Optimus asked conversationally, "I hope you make a habit out of that. It was good."

Snorting, the Seeker asked, "Only good, Optimus?"

That soft tone in his voice meant absolutely NOTHING...it was only because he was still basking in his post-overload bliss as he waited for his berth partner's answer.

Smiling, the semi replied, "Fantastic then. I do believe I've praised you once or twice before."

"Mmm..." Starscream purred, curling tighter against Optimus' bulk and warmth. He refused to call it snuggling. He didn't snuggle. "You should do it more often."

Optimus rolled his optics but chuckled nonetheless, perfectly used to the Seeker's vanity already. In fact, though he would never admit it aloud, he was rather fond of it at this point. There were several moments of silence before he spoke again. "Feeling better?"

"Hm? Oh. Much." Starscream said tiredly, sounding as if he would drop off into recharge at any moment. Which he did not a few kliks later.

"You like him."

Starscream glanced up from his chemicals at his infernal trinemate, an optic brow raised. "I'm sorry?"

The ebony and purple seeker huffed a sharp vent. "I said you like him."

"Who?"

"Optimus Prime."

There was loud groan from the tricolor seeker, and an annoyed twitch of his wings. "We are NOT getting into this again, Skywarp."

"You only deny it because it's true!"

"We're just frag-buddies!"

"Don't give me that slag, Scree!" The teleporter snorted, leaning forward on his elbows which were propped on the edge of the chemical table. Thundercracker was entertaining the sparklings and a few of the jetlings while Skywarp decided to come have a much needed talk with his leader. "Frag-buddies do not sigh dreamily all day while thinking about their last interface with said 'buddy'."

"I did not," rebutted Starscream.

"You just did. You have that far away look in your optics," said Skywarp, optics gleaming with mirth. "And it's worse this time. You must have spiked him real good."

"SHUT UP!" Starscream finally lost his patience and turned, grabbing his trinemate's shoulders and shaking him. "I do not! He's just a good lay and he's all right for conversation, not to mention protection. DROP IT!"

The cheeky glitter in those ruby optics didn't cease and Skywarp said nonchalantly. "Oh, so it's like that is it? You love him."

"WHAT?"

"Optimus and Starscream, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" sing songed the teleporter, and before Starscream could further berate him, he teleported out of his trine leasder's reaches.

:: SKYWARP! When I get my servos on you...!::

::First comes love, then comes marriage!:: Skywarp continued to cackled across the trine bond.

Starscream ground his denta together, and spun back to his work table, intent on ignoring his taunting wingmate and getting back to important things. Like his research on energon consumption versus how long it would take to siphon solar energy into the life giving liquid.

At least things were quiet in his lab again.

::Why is 'Warp singing a human taunt?)::

::Don't ask, Thundercracker.::

"And how, exactly, did they get him stuck up there?"

"Why are you asking me! They're yourbondmates!"

"Because you're the one who reported it and Red isn't answering his comm."

Optimus sighed in frustration, rubbing a servo over his optics. Cliffjumper was adhered to the ceiling... again. His hope that the triplets would somehow put an end to this was in vain. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were still going strong it would seem. And Cliffjumper still didn't know how to keep his mouth shut apparently. How could a great night turn into a day like this?

"Hmmm... He must have given you a good time."

Optimus blinked and turned to look at the red and white medic in curiosity, repeating the very words Starscream had said not a few minutes before on the other side of the base. "I'm sorry?"

Ratchet snickered. "Starscream. You've been staring at nothing since I've started ranting at you. I can guarantee you didn't hear a single thing I said until you asked how Cliffy up there got stuck."

Optimus gave him a withering scowl. "Do we have to talk about it here?"

"Oh, he must be good!" The medic crowed with barely concealed delight.

"Ratchet," warned the Prime in a deep, no-nonsense tone.

The medic gave a chortle, his face alight with glee - and Optimus could see why Sunstreaker and Sideswipe fit very well with his medic. Looking at his leader with an all too knowing look, Ratchet snickered, "I can't believe it. Starscream of all mechs is the one to snare you after all this time has passed after you and Elita dissolved your courtship."

"There is no snaring," Optimus said crossly, crossing his arms.

"Hello? I'm right here!" Cliffjumper grouched, faceplates looking very displeased. "Besides, you can do better than that scum Prime!"

Without thinking, Optimus growled at the minibot and said, "Don't talk about him that way. He has renounced the Decepticons. He's no different that you or I, Cliffjumper, and I trust you to respect that. The Seekers are not only a great asset but they are aligning themselves with us as well. I will hear of no more such talk from you or any other mech on board this ship."

The red minibot looked completely shocked while Ratchet looked amused. Grabbing his Prime's arm and ignoring the protests, he dragged them to the medbay. Cliffjumper could wait for a moment. Once there, he pushed his leader in and locked the door behind them before turning to Optimus and saying bluntly, "You're in love."

Optimus looked at him blankly for several moments. "Ratchet, I can assure you, I am not."

"Primus! You make me want to smack you upside the helm more than the Twins do sometimes!" The CMO groaned, doing a very good impression of what humans called a 'facepalm'. "Face it, Optimus. I see all the signs." And before Optimus could protest, Ratchet launched into his list. "Dreamy sighs after he's spent the night with you. Fond chuckling whenever he amuses you. He makes you laugh far easier than even Elita did. He's constantly coming up in your conversation topics, even when it makes no sense for him to be there. You worry about his well-being just as much as either of his wingmates. You defend him from the troops although he's made it perfectly clear he can take care of himself. He makes you blush. And you fragging watch him leave the room when he walks out! Not to mention I SEE those sly little looks he throws you from across any room, really."

The medic paused to look at the horrified faceplates of his leader. "Shall I go on?"

"I -" For once in his career as Prime, Optimus was fumbling for words. "I'm not! I CAN'Tbe - !"

"And why can't you?"

"I'm Prime - "

"Don't give me that bullslag!" Ratchet growled, crossing his arms over his windshield and tapping his wrench against an upper arm. "I've heard it all before. Especially with Wheeljack and Bluestreak. And look at them now!"

"But my duty is to all, not one - "

"Primus frag it all, Orion! You can be happy too!"

His real name falling from his trusted friends lips made Optimus halt for a moment and really look over the situation. He thought the medic was being silly! But he would look through it again.

True, he and the Seeker were spending time together. That was only because he was assisting him with his work. And the 'frag buddy' situation of course. Dreamy sighs? Well...he would admit to being more relaxed over the past few weeks. Dreamy? They weren't dreamy, they were sighs of contentment! Weren't they? As for his laughing and chuckling, it was because things were falling into place, getting back to normal was all.

All it boiled down to was that he and Starscream had really, really amazing and processor blowing sex.

"Stop over thinking it you half-clocked youngling! You're trying to rationalize. I'm telling you, you're in love. That's what I was like before I realized I was in love with my hellions," Ratchet broke into his thoughts in his flat, knowing tone.

"I'm not in love, Ratchet," Optimus said, as if talking to someone who was too young or dumb.

Ratchet growled and pointed his wrench threateningly at his leader. "Why are you denying happiness? You HAVE been happier in the past few weeks than you have in the past YEAR all together! If you can say to my face that you don't love Starscream, then I'll drop it. But I bet my favorite wrench that you can't even get 'I don't love Starscream' out."

Frowning at his CMO, Optimus snorted and said, "Fine, I'll say it."

Silence.

"Go on...go ahead," encouraged Ratchet with a cynical look on his face.

Optimus opened his mouth, prepared to say exactly what he said he would.

And nothing came out.

A smug look fell across Ratchet's face. "Well? I'm waiting."

Optimus' optics were wide, his processors racing through every situation, every scenario that ahd transpired between he and Starscream for the last two and a half weeks. And suddenly, they question was no longer 'what' but 'when' and 'how'.

Because apparently, while his CPU was rebelling against it, his spark refused to let him ignore it any longer.

Ratchet was full out smiling now. "Thought so."

Optimus was staring at his friend in disbelief.

'Dear Primus...'

Starscream didn't know how it had happened. Really, he should have seen it coming.

That still didn't change the fact that it had happened.

The jetlings REALLY needed to learn the meaning of personal space.

The ex-decepticon Air Commander found himself once more in the Aerialbot's hangar, sandwiched between Fireflight and Skydive, Slingshot leaning against his leg and Air Raid draped across his lap, preventing him from jsut getting up and walking out. And he had been stuck like this for the last two and a half hours watching some cheesy human film about how love conquers all.

Really.

Humans had an odd perspective on how reality worked.

"You dragged me out of my lab for this?" He growled, although it didn't hold as much heat as he wanted it to. Frag it all, they were growing on him like a bad case of rust.

"You didn't like it?" Fireflight asked in concern.

"I fail to see what is so interesting about squishy romance."

The little jet brightened. "Oh! That's easy!"

"Yeah." Air Raid snickered. "Imagine. finding the one for you on a beach at sunset."

"Somebot who makes your spark race just looking at them!" Fireflight picked up again.

Air Raid continued. "Can make you shiver with just one word all because it was THEM who said it."

"Someone you don't want to share with anyone."

"Or who makes you feel like you're worth it."

The running commentary became background noise as Starscream tuned them out. Something he had become very adept at doing lately. Afterall, he really didn't need to hear all of this. He already had it.

And suddenly all processing came to a halting stop in his CPU.

He really DID have it all! And the sudden horror washed over him.

'... I really AM in love! Primus, kill me now!'


	4. Feeling Certain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that this chapter isn't quite as long as the others, but we felt this was a good way to end Arc 4.
> 
> And I also find myself with the odd need to apologize to all the readers fro lacks of updates in HiWtHi and STHH. Real life kicked my ass this last month and I've found myself with only time for the RP and oneshots. Thankfully, Christmas break begins soon, so I will have time to type to my heart's content XD
> 
> That and plotbunnies can be real bitches!
> 
> Anywho!
> 
> As always BIG SHOUT OUT AND ROUND OF APPLAUSE to the absolutely lovely Darkeyes17 ^^
> 
> Disclaimer: Not ours, though wouldn't Transformers be SO much more exciting if it were XD
> 
> Enjoy!

Optimus Prime smiled warmly as he watched his two most trusted friends arrive back at the Ark and transform gracefully in front of him, both saluting. He was very glad to see that they were looking much better than they had before they left the Ark. Jazz was smiling, looping an arm around Prowl's waist, while the Praxian looked content.

It seemed like the couple could really work things out after all.

"Prowl, Jazz, it's good to have you back," he greeted.

"Good to be back Optimus," Prowl answered quietly.

"Home sweet home. Ah mean, Hawaii was nice, but sand kept getting stuck in my joints 'n' all," Jazz chimed in.

Optimus laughed and stepped back to walk them in. "Well, I'm sure the weather was nice. Surprisingly, things went smoothly while you were both away. Perhaps not as smoothly as it usually is, but smooth for-"

"INCOMING!"

Optimus prime ducked as Skywarp jetted through the wide entrance hall of the Ark, three happily squealing triplets on his back, while Sunstreaker, Ratchet, and Sideswipe spewed curses from their mouths as they raced after the wayward jet.

Both SIC and TIC stared in surprise before Prowl gave Optimus a very non-plussed look.

"Smooth?"

Optimus hunched his shoulders indicating the sheepish expression he wore beneath his mask. "I admit that could have gone better."

"For his own good, Ah hope Ratch doesn' catch up wit Warp." Jazz commented, still staring at the entrance and some ways in the distance three angry creators and a loop-the-looping Skywarp and packages.

"So far Skywarp has been undeterred by any threat and/or punishment Ratchet has managed to come up with."

"So the fliers are integrating well into the Ark then?" Prowl asked.

"Well, it was a little bumpy at the beginning. But it smoothed out."

"There's that word again." The black and white Datsun said flatly.

"Word?"

"Smooth. I am almost afraid to find what has gone on while we were away."

"Well...er," mumbled Optimus, when suddenly Starscream came into sight, strutting down the hallway, optics on his datapad. He looked up once to give a nod to the SIC and TIC, sharing a look with Optimus, and then proceeding to walk right past them. However, as he passed Optimus, his hand shot out and groped the Autobot leader's aft with a cheeky grin, before moving on. He disappeared behind a corner before Optimus could scold the incorrigible jet.

Jazz and Prowl stared in shock.

"Please...don't tell me Ah just saw what Ah saw," Jazz said, astonished.

"I'm about to have a processor crash," Prowl muttered, fighting his logic circuits.

Optimus's faceplates behind his mask got even redder as he tried to find some easy, logical way yo explain it to both black and whites. "Well, you see...it's all mutual, and there's nothing...nothing but interfacing."

The two mechs stared at him as if he had grown an extra pair of heads.

"You...and Starscream...sharing a berth?" asked Prowl.

"Think of it as concreting ex-Decepticon and Autobot relations," the Prime broke in. This could go really bad, and fast.

"Damn, Prime. So, how is he?"

"Jazz!" hissed Prowl.

Optimus was very glad that he suddenly had an excuse to change the topic when Skywarp came barreling in through the doors again, triplet-less and cackling as twin blurs of red and yellow chased after him down the hall. All three had literally needed to flatten themselves against the wall to avoid being run over. Ratchet followed at a much more sedated pace, still scowling but with all three of his sparklings trailing after him, each with wide smiles on their faceplates.

Jumpstart was the first to notice the black and whites. "Powl! Jass!" He squealed, launching himself gleefully at the datsun and porsche, quickly followed by his siblings.

"They missed you as well." Optimus chuckled, watching as each sparkling chose a limb to attach themselves to.

Jumpstart threw his arms around Prowl's neck happily, Speedlight gripping an arm, while Brightspark tapped on Jazz's visor in greeting. The black and white's attentions were drawn off topic, for which the Prime was grateful for. If only for now. He knew Jazz would be pressing for details, while Prowl would most likely try and skirt around the issue.

It brought him back to something he was wondering about. Like how Prowl was reacting to having the sparklings on him. Truthfully, Optimus had expected something a lot worse than the usually stoic tactician talking to the sparklings that had latched onto him. He had expected that Prowl would politely excuse himself so he wouldn't have to deal with seeing something that could have almost been his.

"I'm glad you two are back," Ratchet grumbled. "Can you believe the pranking that the twins have gotten away with ever since Prime's been shagging Starscream?"

'Damn you Ratchet!' the leader wanted to scream.

"Oh really?" Prowl asked, gaze narrowing.

Optimus did his best not to cringe under the intense stare. "I - uh - "

"And do NOT get me started on the fragging Seekers! Thundercracker is okay I suppose, but Skywarp is corrupting our own resident fliers! Air Raid actually SQUEALED yesterday!" Ratchet continued to rant and the Prime wondered if it would be a wise choice and tactically sound to retreat now.

"The Aerials?" Prowl asked, his tone sharp.

"Have practically been adopted by Thundercracker and Skywarp. After you approved the rights to monitor their schedules before you left, I almost never see those mechlings unattended by at least one of them at a time!"

"Apparently there are several things we must go over after our absence."

"Ah, Prowler! Can't it wait 'til I see everybody!" The saboteur whined.

At his bondmate's whine, Prowl's features softened slightly and he sighed. "Today. That's it. The reign of the troublemaker ends tomorrow. For today...I just want to reacquaint myself with my quarters. Tomorrow I get back to work."

Jazz smiled brilliantly at the other black and white, cooing to Brightspark as she jabbered away at him.

Prowl smiled back, turning back to his rather nervous and embarrassing looking leader. Smugly, he said, "I expect that 'smoothly' includes you not keeping up on your paperwork?"

Actually feeling proud of his achievements in that respect, Optimus replied, "Not at all. They're all clear. I've had Starscream helping me deal with the workload ever since he firmly insisted he was more than just a sparkling sitter. He's been very informative and helpful. He also implemented a plan on how to tell the human authorities about he and his trine switching sides without any mention of the triplets."

"Thank Primus," muttered Ratchet, twirling his wrench idly.

"Helping is he Prime?" Jazz asked cheekily.

"Can I expect those datapads to be...clean? By the time they reach my desk?" Prowl mused aloud, joining in on his mate's game of embarrassing their leader.

"Oh they better be clean." Ratchet grinned, the smirk looking positively evil. "Especially since I've had Starscream AND Prime in my medbay more than a few times recently."

The squawk of indignation had all the mechs chuckling. Until the sparklings decided they wanted more attention from their recently returned Uncles. Speedlight leaned over in Prowl's hold to pat at jazz's shoulder.

"Look! M' jus' like you, Jass! See!" The mechling jabbed at his own, new shiny visor he's begged his carrier to install so he could look just like 'Big Brother Aid'.

"Ah'm seeing, mech! Must say it looks good on yah!" Jazz agreed, smiling widely.

"It better..." Ratchet growled. "The processor ache I had to put up with...!" He suddenly plucked all three of his sparklings from the Second and Third's grips and then set them on the floor. "Work and socializing is great, but neither of you are going anywhere until you get a check up! Into the medbay with you!" He paused thoughtfully. "actually, while i'm at it, Optimus, in with you to- PRIME! GET YOU AFT BACK HERE YOU FLITTER GLITCH!"

Optimus, who had already made it to the end of the hall called over his shoulder, "You have to catch me first, Ratch!"

And then he disappeared around the corner before taking off at a run, a roar of frustration echoing in the halls behind him.

When he bolted into his quarters, hastily locking the doors behind him. He would rather not go through a check up now. Not when he was having a few personal dilemmas that the medic was sure to want to talk about.

Like figuring out he was in love with a certain ex-Decepticon.

A Seeker who was in his berthroom, splayed along his berth, still reading the datapad.

Recently, this behaviour had confused him. Starscream usually preferred to sleep in his own berth unless they had been interfacing (and in that case, he would snuggle), and to have the flier suddenly come into closer personal space concerned the Prime. Was someone threatening the Seeker? Was that way he was becoming more personal? Not to mention that the flier had become a little distant in the berth at times. It was moments where there was no wild lust, but something else. What, he couldn't place.

In the meantime, he was trying to make his feelings as non-obvious as possible. He didn't want Starscream to scorn him for having such emotions when their arrangement had been just that. And arrangement. So he kept quiet, and kept his more tender actions to himself.

It would have been awkward otherwise.

"Did you know that I could hear Ratchet yelling?" Starscream asked nonchalantly, not looking at Optimus.

"Oh really?"

"Mmm...why does he want you in the medbay?"

"Probably to check that my wrist joints have healed from the handcuffs you put on them," replied Optimus.

"Lugnut. Don't know you're own strength," muttered Starscream under his breath. Still...the memory of that little session was arousing.

"Did you also know," the flier said louder, "that your TIC is sparked?"

"...Huh?"

"Because I was in such proximity to him as I walked past, I detected some extra spark energy with the sensors in my cockpit. Only Seeker's and other protective fliers have such sensors. So most likely we'll be hearing Ratchet yell again when he finds out exactly what Prowl and Jazz did on their little getaway."

For his own part, Optimus was wondering if he would suffer his own crash in Prowl's place.

That was... not what he had expected to happen. At all.

"I can tell you're gaping behind that mask of yours, Optimus. So close your mouth. It's unsightly for a Prime." Starscream snickered, setting aside the datapad to roll over onto his stomach and prop his chin on folded arms.

Optimus snapped his mouth shut, embarrassed that Starscream was right, but also embarrassed that he had been caught. Still... sparked... "You're absolutely certain?"

The tri-color Seeker snorted. "Please, Prime! When have I ever said anything without absolute certainty backing the words? In the berth doesn't count."

Optimus snapped his mouth shut again, deciding that arguing probably wasn't going to be worth it.

"I suppose we shall find out soon enough." He allowed.

Suddenly a huge roar echoed throughout the Ark.

"And that, my dear Prime, is the call of the beast they call 'The Hatchet,'" the Seeker snickered.

Optimus didn't fully hear the words. He was too caught up in watching those sensual lips move as they spoke.

Dear Primus, he did have it bad didn't he?

Clang!

"OW!"

"And you!

Clang!

"Oi! What was that for Ratch?"

"You oversexed black and white glitches! As if Prime and that Seeker don't give me enough processor aches already, I have to deal with you two being absolutely-!"

Whap!

"Why are you hitting me more than Jazz?" growled Prowl, ducking as the medic tried to grab his chevron.

Sighing, Ratchet calmed a little and asked, "Just how many times did you two sparkmerge?"

"I dunno." Jazz said, eyeing the wrench still being tightly gripped in the medic's hand warily. "Wasn't exactly keepin' count, doc."

Uh oh. An optic ridge twitched. Which meant something big was beginning to brew. Prowl wondered just how far Jazz had managed to dig their graves with the one statement. Pretty deep, judging by the fact that Ratchet was still being 'calm' when he spoke again.

"And I am to presume that means 'more than twice'."

"...Yes?"

The next thing either of the recently returned officers knew, their audios were ringing with the force of the cry of frustration that bounded and echoed off the walls of the almost completely empty medbay. Swoop and First Aid jumped where they had been quizzing each other in their corner and turned to stare at their mentor curiously. A sedated Wheeljack (who was still missing an arm and several fingers on the other hand from his latest project-gone-wrong) twitched, but otherwise remained completely unawares. The visiting Bluestreak had taken his cue to dodge behind his slumbering lover's berth... Just in case things decided to start flying.

"Frag you! Frag you and frag every fragging fragged fragger who can't tell their afts from their helms if their lives depended on it!"

"Lotta frags there, Ratch..." Jazz dared to comment, before he followed Bluestreak's example, only using his mate as cover instead of the berth, as a wrench came for his helm again.

"You have a problem with my cursing...?" the CMO said dangerously.

"Erm...no, not really Ratch...just keep going," Jazz deflected easily. He smiled a little. He didn't want the medic to be on his bad side right now. It was ruining his plesant mood after helping Prowl overcome their difficulties. With the lost sparkling and all...

Ratchet glared at Jazz, before sighing heavily again. Here they go on another roller coaster ride.

"I hate to tell you this, but Jazz...you're sparked," Ratchet finally stated, face taking on it's normal, neurtal expression.

Prowl gaped at the medic, looking from the red and white mech to his mate, and then back again. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"That scanner was recalibrated a few days ago. Yes I am. Now we're going to have another sparkling to think about."

"Not that we weren't before," Jazz said quietly, in some sort of shock. Sure, he and Prowl had talked about trying for another soon, but not quite this soon. Reverently, he placed his hand over his spark and breathed in deeply. He felt worry and concern flow from Prowl to him, and he sent back pulses of calm. They would just have to re-prepare for another life yet again.

Optimus could only be glad that Ratchet was too busy with Prowl and Jazz to worry about visiting him to drag him to the medbay. He was tidying up his office while two small drones were at work next door in Prowl's office, clearing out the months worth of dust. It was the least he could do.

Now his own mess was taken care of, he felt less claustrophobic in his own plating.

"I know for a fact that everything will be fine, you silly soft-sparked mech," Starscream said from the doorway.

The Prime looked up, noticing the flier for the first time. "Following me again?"

"Everyone else interesting is doing something or in the medbay. Thundercracker and Skywarp are reading to the Aerials, but I didn't feel like getting in the cuddle pile," Starscream murmured, wings fluttering. Optimus was kinda cute just sitting there, this little confused expression on that masked face. At least he didn't tell him to get lost. It would have been a shattering rejection.

Then inwardly he cursed. He was supposed to be forgetting about the fact he had SOMEHOW fallen in love with the Autobot leader.

"Was there something you needed?" Optimus chuckled. "Because I am trying to avoid Ratchet at the moment and if he knows you're here..."

"Then by default, you must be here as well." The Seeker concluded, unbothered. "Nothing i particularly needed... Except you may want to let your troops know that you're going to be indisposed for the evening."

Optimus gave him a curious look. "Why is that?"

Starscream hesitated, checking down both ways of the hallways before stepping completely into the room and keying the door locked behind him. In a few short steps he was across the room and standing close to the Autobot leader, optics darting around the room.

"Here." Something was shoved into the startled servos of the Prime and when he glanced down, he saw it was a vid-pad. "You need to see what is on this... I figured you should see it first."

Optimus frowned behind his mask. "What-?"

"Just watch it Prime." Oh. It was THAT tone of voice. The one that was no-nonsense.

Obligingly, Optimus sat at his desk and plugged the pad into his computer terminal. What popped up on his screen startled him. In a matter of seconds he was staring at the visor and mask of Soundwave, who actually seemed to be NERVOUS as he made the message.

"Optimus Prime. Greetings. I wish to speak plainly. I have limited my vodocoder for this conversation. Message. I do hope you give me a few moments. Ever since Starscream and his trine have defected, conditions have grown steadily worse for every mech here at the Nemesis. And Megatron and Shockwave become more insane. They have more plans they continue to leave me out of. My cassettes are suffering. And I have seen the error of continuing to stay with this faction. Not only that, but if I had known about the sparklings I would not have agreed to the plan. Optimus Prime...I need your assistance."

Optimus stared at the datapad, deep in thought.

"I want to go after Shockwave."

Starscream's low voice broke into his thoughts and he blinked stupidly at the Seeker before saying firmly, "No."

"You're not my keeper or master. I'm going," Starscream huffed, crossing his arms.

Optimus stood up, frowning. He retracted his mask and said again, "No. Not without back-up."

"So I'll take Jazz with me. You know he'll go off by himself anyway," murmured the Seeker, standing pede to pede with the other mech.

"And Jazz is now a carrier!" Optimus frowned, crossing his arms across his chassis. "And we do not go after mechs with vendettas, Starscream. It makes us no better than those who wrong us. And as you can our most pressing problem is not Shockwave for the moment... How much can Soundwave be trusted?"

Starscream, who was seething in silence, gritted his denta before sighing deeply. Getting mad at Optimus wouldn't do anything to convince him to let he or Jazz go. Which meant he would need to be talking to the Saboteur himself.

"Honestly?" He asked. "I'm surprised that you would ask, seeing as he and I never were on the best of terms."

"I was actually assuming that most of those rumors were highly exaggerated." Optimus admitted.

The tricolor seeker felt the corner of his lips twitch. "Which you assumed correctly. While Soundwave is, or was, horribly illusioned about his 'Great and Glorious' leader, he wasn't stupid enough to let Megatron influence his relationships on the Nemesis. While we held no actual like for each other, we at least respected the other. And he was content in the knowledge that his cassettes were safe with Seekers in the vicinity, not that the little slaggers made it easy, mind you."

"I see."

Seeing that shrewd look on the Autobot's features, Starscream knew he had to distract the larger bot so he wouldn't inquire further about Shockwave or anything else to do with the Decepticons. As far as he was concerned, that life was far behind him. He relaxed, letting his wings flutter as he reached up to caress the thik battlemask.

"Besides...you are tense. We can't have that now, can we?"

Optimus sighed and took the blue hand in his, removing it from his mask. "Not now, Starscream. I have too many duties to attend to-"

"If Prowl and Jazz are having the rest of today off, then you should too. Let Ironhide take care of it, it'll be good for his literacy skills," the Seeker argued back.

"Starscream," said the larger mech in a low warning tone.

The tricolor mech ignored it and plastered his body to his lover's, mouth seeking those neck cables that couldn't Optimus to crumble ever so deliciously. He would not be dissuaded. He wanted. He always did, and even more so now that he realized that what he felt for his ex-enemy was more than just some sort of kinky infatuation. He purred as Optimus choked his name out in a protesting moan.

Optimus stumbled, his back hitting the wall just to the side of his desk and he slid down it, pulling Starscream with him with a growl. Half of arousal, half of annoyance.

"You're insatiable." He declared breathily, his mask snapping open as he pressed a soft kiss to the flier's forehelm.

"Seeker." Starscream reminded him with a snicker.

He yelped when two heavy servos closed on his aft and squeezed. Pouting crimson optics met grinning blue ones.

"You didn't really think I was going to let you have all the fun?"

Starscream's pout turned into a smirk, one tip of a fang peeking out of his mouth. "Cheeky, Optimus." He purred, walking his digits down the Prime's windshield and snaking them into his grill. "I wonder, do your Autobots know you can be this... unrefined?"

"I'm sure if they did, Mirage would have already blown a circuit."

"Either that or he would have joined in the fun with his bondmate. I can imagine him having this big chest of toys," replied the flier, fondling a bundble of sensor ends in his fingers while Optimus ex-vented, hot air blasting him.

"Naughty," breathed Optimus, mouth latching on to a shoulder vent, glossa frolicking around on the smooth metal, tasting the air as slim blue fingers tangled in each other his sensors. There was something about the Seeker, about the way he didn't just take, but he gave and gave freely. He could feel his great spark leap in his chest as Starscream moaned under the attention he bestowed.

"Optimus," Starscream murmured, tracing his hands back up to that blue helm, tweaking the ends of the regal finials playfully as large hands kneaded over his aft and lower back.

"Wet already?"

"Always for you, you sexy beast," the flier teased.

Optimus chuckled at the other's silliness, and he moved on to the charcoal lips that drew him in time and time again. Their lips joined as Starscream retracted his panel, giving his full and free permission. Feeling around, Optimus discovered that the Seeker was indeed already wet, aroused. The knowledge of how he affected Starscream was heady and he put more effort into his actions.

The Seeker moaned, enjoying the feelings of the large servos exploring well known seams and hotspots, spreading out, long, elegant digits tweaking the tips of his wings. He leaned up to claim another kiss and almost completely missed the Prime's lips turning up into a mischievous smirk. He pulled away to stare suspiciously at his lover.

"What are you planning, Prime?"

"Oh? Not Optimus, Starscream?" Optimus snickered.

"Not when you have something pl- AH!"

The flier's backstruts bowed sharply as two thick digits pushed gently into his valve, his cry of surprise tapering off into a long moan of delight and pleasure.

Optimus groaned as the hot, silky heat closed around his digits, Starscream's servos clenching at his grill as the valve adjusted to the the sudden intrusion.

"You've...nngh... never been that direct before," the Seeker got out around the pleasure of the sudden penetration, rotating his hips around to get more comfortable.

"You've never been so wet so quickly before," replied Optimus as he focused on slowly finding each node within those clenching walls. He wanted to enter the beautiful flier just as he climaxed, and the only way to do that was to tease his valve with as much skill as he could utilize. His digits rubbed along the walls in random patterns, and when he encountered a sensor or sensor laden part of the flexible channel he slowly teased it, gently pinching it between his two fingers, circling it, stimulating in such a way that it left Starscream breathless and gasping for more.

"Deeper," begged Starscream, making a little writhe as those questing digits ventured further, running over a particularly sensitive patch that signaled getting closer to the depths of his interface component.

"In good time," crooned the Prime, coaxing the slim legs wider over his hips with his other hand, putting his mouth to use in a simultaneous motion to overwhelm with pleasure. He brushed his lips over the golden glassed cockpit, nuzzling it tenderly and then nipping at the wires in the seams around it.

"Nnn...ooooh!" mewled the flier, optics fritzing out for a moment as sensation flooded him. It felt so good.

"How close are you?" asked Optimus, curling his fingers and then scissoring in that tightness, preparing him for both penetration and climax.

"Close," breathed Starscream, hands gripping onto the truck grill with a desperate force.

Optimus nodded, retracting his panel.

Without looking down, the Seeker knew that Optimus was already hard, the turgid spike rearing up against the red abdominal plates. He arched back more, grinding his soaked channel on those fingers. He wanted to overload, he wanted more. He was just one big ball of want. He gave a sob as he felt the fingers in him begin to thrust inside him, a third finger added to stretch him out even more.

"Yesssss," he hissed.

Perfection.

Each.

And.

Every.

Time.

"My Star," The semi-whispered lowly in his audial. The low purr made the flier's optics fritz white once more before the sudden sensations overtook him in a heady overload. He felt as he was slammed to the floor, a great weight atop him and panting in time with his cries of pleasure, and then a hot, thick spike was entering his spasming valve.

Starscream howled, the bass groan of his lover underlying it and reverberating through his chassis.

Lights exploded behind his shuttered optics once more, as he cascaded into his second overload almost immediately after the first. The tight, velvet heat encasing Optimus' spike seemed to become even tighter, drawing a long moan from him which was quickly cut off and swallowed eagerly by the flier underneath him.

Once he was fully sheathed, the Peterbilt held still, waiting for the tricolor Seeker to come down from the overload.

And when Starscream did, panting and keening as his valve continued to flex around the hard length inside of him, and his optics were once more unshuttered and staring up at him, bright with pleasure, Optimus allowed that smirk to cross his features. Then he ducked down to kiss the flier once more and began thrusting vigorously.

The tricoloured mech moaned into their liplock. He couldn't think, he could only feel as his lover thouroughly loved him just the way he liked it. As the length slid deep inside him with each thrust, Starscream could feel his third overload building, a roaring fireball of pleasure setting his sensors ablaze as he could do nothing but cling to the larger form of his Prime.

His Prime...he liked the sound of that.

Optimus growled as he ground his hips against the slimmer one of the Seeker writhing under him. Primus he was beautiful, those charcoal faceplates set in a rapt and pleasured expression.

Kissing around the neck cables, Optimus drove himself harder, his spike squeezed in the wet valve so nicely.

He never dreamed that he could feel like this.

With a groan, he wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling them close together even though their hips clanged on the floor from the force of his thrusts, feeling so intimately connected in a way that he knew he would never have permanently.

Optimus yelped when Starscream bucked up and (even with his smaller and lighter frame) managed to flip them so he was straddling Optimus, servos balancing him on either side of Prime's chassis, legs splayed wide to allow the hot shaft deeper penetration and a serious look in his optics.

"Stop thinking." The Seeker rasped, leaning in again to steal another kiss and making sure his lover did indeed stop thinking.

Which wasn't that hard to do really, considering that Prime was so close to his own overload.

In the way that only he could, Starscream took control of the situation, the frenzied thrusts leveling out to a paced, almost lazy wave of hips that had Optimus moaning and Starscream keening. Oh it felt good, each roll of Starscream's pelvis and clamp of his valve working Optimus' spike until he hit overload with a cry as his helm thumped back to hit the floor with a clang.

The wave of pleasure crested and Starscream was quick to follow, tipping into his third overload with a loud keen, his wings flaring up and trembling in his pleasure and completion. This was bliss. This was life. This was... everything he wanted. And by Pit when he returned... He would make sure it was his.

The ex-Decepticon conveniently ignored the loud 'if' that wanted to replace the when in his sentence.

He would return.

He would work to remain by hisPrime's side.

And frag it, not even Unicron was going to stand in his way!

But now...he didn't want to have to do this, but it was necessary so have could have that life that he wanted. While his lover was still reeling from the after affects of his strong overload, Starscream reached into subspace, a vial of a strong sedative in his hand, ready to be injected. When those deep blue optics looked back to him, he leaned forward, connecting his lips to Optimus's and slowly savoring the taste of him, gently swirling their glossas together. Broad hands were stroking over his hips and lower back. The beauty of the moment would be shattered, he knew, when he did what he was about to do.

Parting from those gentle lips, Starscream shuttered his optics, sliding his hand up, hidden from his lover's view. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"For what?" the semi breathed, concern creeping into his tone.

"This."

In a fast, decisive movement, Starscream jabbed the sedative into an energon line in Optimus's neck, too fast for the larger mech to react. It was effective immediately. Before the larger mech fell offline, Starscream felt gutted by the betrayed look in those beautiful blue optics.

Safe in his conviction that Optimus was deep in recharge, Starscream pulled himself off the hot spike, ignoring the twinges of pleasure as he knelt next to the blue helm. Caressing a finial, he murmured, "I'll apologize when I get back. I...I hate having to do this to you...but I need this. It's selfish. But Shockwave needs to die. I won't let anyone else be hurt by him. Not anymore."

The Seeker smiled ruefully, curling his frame so he could press another soft kiss to those slack lipplates, doing his best to squash the thought that this might be the last time.

"I'm doing this for you, Optimus. Because I love you, as crazy and as dysfunctional as it is. I love you. I hope I'll come back alive so I can actually tell you when you can hear me."

With that, the Seeker quickly cleaned them both with a cleansing rag, closed their plating and thoughtfully put a cushion from the couch under Optimus' helm. Then, resolutely, he turned on his heel, ignoring his low energy warning and marched from the office, forcing himself to not look back.

Jazz smiled at his mate, the exhausted mech lying on their berth with a peaceful look on his faceplates in recharge. The poor mech had been on an emotional roller-coaster this month and he deserved the rest. But, Primus, how he hated not telling the tactician about the plans he and Starscream had exchanged on their way back from Hawaii, but he knew that if Prowl knew, then there was no way he would have been going, Master Spy or not.

He double checked his equipment to make sure that he had everything he needed and was just finishing up when he got a ping from Starscream.

He opened the private channel. :- Yo, Screamer. We good to go?-:

:- Yes, and I suggest you hurry. We have exactly two point four breems before either Hatchet, Red Alert or my trine realize we're up to something.-:

:- Had to implement plan B, huh?-:

:- Prime is a soft sparked fool. Sometimes I wonder if he even remembers that we are at war.-: Even through the sneer, the saboteur caught the tone of affection lacing each word.

:- Well, I'm on my way and I'll be there in a third of that time. -: He assured, leaning down to kiss his mate's chevron before rushing from their room.

He met the proud Seeker on top of the volcano the Ark was buried under, and couldn't help but notice the flier's subdued manner in the way he turned, nodding at him and merely following his instruction. It had been part of their deal that Starscream follow everything he said, lest they be deactivated.

Jazz could only hope that he wouldn't have to come back to base alone.

Optimus gasped as the sedative wore off him. Gingerly, he sat up, before promptly placing his helm in his hands.

Starscream had believed that sedative had worked on him.

Not quite.

The Matrix, being the amazing and mysterious object that it was, had the ability to keep his processor aware of everything going on around him in the event of sedation. If his optics were offline, then his audials would compensate.

He had heard every word that Starscream had said.

Optimus let out a humorless laugh. Of course. The mech of his dreams admits he loves him, and he runs off to Cybertron to track Shockwave and would possibly not come back. Just perfect. That's the way it seemed to go for him. He was still reeling from those spark-felt uttered words that had fell like diamonds from the sky from Starscream's lips.

Figures.

It didn't help that the sedatives left him feeling sick to his tanks, making him dizzy. Yet, he allowed himself to reel and ignored the increasingly desperate comm lights that were blinking rapidly in his HUD. Especially since they were all Ratchet.

He would deal with whatever lecture later.

Optimus pulled his servos from his face, his mask remaining open as he glanced at the datapad Starscream had brought in earlier that orn. Quietly, he stood, took the few stumbling steps he needed to reach his desk and scooped up the pad. He watched Soundwave's message again, the silence after the telepath's message was over echoing in his spark.

"Don't you die, Starscream." He growled with a conviction once only heard when fighting for his people. "Or I'll come after your sorry aft myself."


End file.
